Familial cardiomyopathy support
What is familial cardiomyopathy?
Familial cardiomyopathy is an inherited disease that affects the heart muscle. It can make it harder for the heart to pump oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. There are several types of cardiomyopathies, with many potential causes. Some types run in the family (inherited). All of the cardiomyopathies can lead to serious heart complications.
If cardiomyopathy runs in your family, you want a team of experts on your side. Specialists at the Penn Medicine Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease are experienced at evaluating family members. We take the time to help you understand your diagnosis, what it means for you, and your treatment options. Our family-centered care model helps assess the entire family’s risk through family trees and advanced DNA testing by screening parents, siblings, and children.
Types of familial cardiomyopathy
- Left Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy
Familial cardiomyopathy treatment at Penn Medicine
The first step to a successful familial cardiomyopathy treatment plan is accurate diagnosis and testing. We have the advanced diagnostic tools and skill necessary to examine your heart and determine what’s wrong. Once we understand the type of cardiomyopathy you have, we can develop a treatment plan.
Our approach to treating familial cardiomyopathy focuses on several key goals. We assess the entire family’s risk for the condition, work to control symptoms so you can maintain a full and active life, and educate you on necessary precautions to protect your heart health. Ongoing monitoring ensures we can track changes over time, and we prioritize preventing complications to help manage the disease effectively.
Advanced treatment for hereditary cardiomyopathy
Depending on the type of hereditary cardiomyopathy and how severe it is, your provider may recommend regular checkups and imaging to monitor your heart, medications, or other treatments.
Expert care for inherited cardiomyopathies
Early evaluation and treatment can help prevent symptoms and complications of hereditary cardiomyopathy. When your family chooses the Penn Medicine Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, you can rely on our team of highly trained physicians, nurses, and counselors who specialize in genetic heart disease.
Our care is flexible and tailored to fit your family’s needs, whether you’re spread out across the country or the world. We offer individual or group appointments, telemedicine, and letters to keep everyone informed. For children affected by familial cardiomyopathy, we collaborate closely with pediatric cardiologists at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to ensure comprehensive care.