Myocardial dystrophy of mixed origin ⋆ Heart Treatment

There are cardiovascular diseases that are not associated with the inflammatory process, but their progression can contribute to the development of severe complications. To avoid this, you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner and undergo appropriate treatment.

Myocardial dystrophy (MCD) is known in medical practice as a secondary pathology affecting the heart muscle. Another common definition is secondary cardiomyopathy, myocardial dystrophy. The disease is not associated with an inflammatory process, but is accompanied by a malnutrition of the myocardium. Often myocardial dystrophy acts as a complication of another cardiovascular disease.

In 1936, G. F. Lang defined myocardial dystrophy as a disorder of the physicochemical and biochemical structure of the heart muscle and related metabolism.

As the disease progresses, myocardial tone decreases, which in the future, under unfavorable circumstances, leads to the development of heart failure. Other heart diseases often develop due to decreased blood circulation in the myocardium, as a result of which cardiomyocytes do not receive oxygen in sufficient quantities necessary for the normal functioning of the organ. A long course of this condition leads to atrophic and even necrotic changes in cardiac tissue.

Video Myocardial dystrophy

Description

The formation of myocardial dystrophy is most often associated with a violation of the metabolic process of various substances that are involved in the formation of energy in the heart muscle with its further transformation into the mechanical work of the organ. In severe cases, the course of MCD is complicated by heart failure of the myocardial type.

In typical cases, pathomorphologically, MCD is characterized by the absence of an inflammatory process and necrotic changes in the heart muscle.

Regardless of the etiology, the development of myocardial dystrophy is based on the following mechanisms:

1. Stimulation of the sympathoadrenal system, which leads to an increase in the oxygen demand of the heart muscle
2. Disruption of the relaxation process of myocardial muscle fibers - leads to changes in oxidative processes and a decrease in oxygen use with activation of proteases
3. Accumulation of free radicals, which activates the destructive lysosomal mechanism

The course of myocardial dystrophy is accompanied by the following pathological changes:

• disorder of innervation of the heart muscle;
• slowing down the process of oxygen absorption by the heart;
• an increase in the amount of calcium ions inside cardiomyocytes;
• the appearance of fat cells that gradually destroy the myocardium;
• increased activity of enzymes that destroy the structure of heart cells;
• a decrease in the number of working cardiomyocytes.

The progression of myocardial dystrophy is divided into three stages (Vasilenko V.Kh., 1989):

1. The neurofunctional stage, when signs of a disorder of the autonomic nervous system are most often identified.
2. The stage of limited changes, in which changes in metabolic and structural elements are noted.
3. Stage of heart failure metabolic course.

It is important to know that disturbances in the activity of the heart in myocardial dystrophy are reversible. An immediate visit to the doctors and compliance with the prescribed treatment can completely relieve a person from heart disorders. This disease mainly affects people over forty. But recently, doctors have noted a trend towards the appearance of this pathological condition in a younger group of the population.

Causes of dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy

Disruption of metabolic processes in the heart muscle with this pathology can occur in the following diseases:

• diseases of the endocrine organs: adrenal insufficiency, acromegaly, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus;
• decreased synthesis of sex hormones during menopause;
• obesity;
• hereditary pathologies with the accumulation of glycogen, iron, phytanic acid, mucopolysaccharides and lipids in myocardial tissue;
• nutritional disorders: anemia, deficiency of potassium, magnesium, selenium, proteins, vitamins;
• amyloidosis – deposition of a special amyloid protein.

Causes

Myocardial dystrophy develops under the influence of external factors - frequent physical training or exercise, stress, poor diet.

The appearance of myocardial dystrophy can be associated not only with external, but also with internal predisposing factors:

• acute intoxication of the body (drugs, alcohol, etc.),
• diseases such as inflammation or infectious process;
• endocrine diseases (toxic goiter, hypothyroidism, acromegaly, diabetes, etc.);
• metabolic disorder;
• congenital neuromuscular disorders such as myasthenia gravis, myodystrophy;
• neurogenic dysfunctions, neurovascular dystonia;
• imbalance of electrolytes of various origins.

Myocardial dystrophy occurs in young children and newborns against the background of diseases that are characteristic only of this age group

Treatment of dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy

The main directions of therapy for this pathology are: correction of the cause of myocardial dystrophy, improvement of metabolic processes in the heart muscle and symptomatic treatment of arrhythmia and heart failure.

To reduce the influence of damaging factors (etiotropic therapy), the following are used:

• hormone replacement treatment (menopause, hypothyroidism);
• normalization of carbohydrate metabolism and reduction of body weight (diabetes, obesity);
• antianemic drugs;
• removal of pheochromocytoma, toxic goiter;
• nutrition correction: low-fat protein products, bran, nuts, dried fruits, freshly squeezed juices, vitamin therapy.

To improve the strength of heart contractions (pathogenetic therapy), potassium and magnesium salts, Riboxin, Mildronate, Thiotriazoline, L-carnitine, ATP-Long are used. Anabolic steroids, sedatives and tonics may be prescribed.

Antiarrhythmic drugs, diuretics, and cardiac glycosides are most often prescribed in combination with cardioprotectors, vitamins and antioxidants. In the presence of high blood pressure, antihypertensive drugs from the group of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are used, as they have a protective effect on the myocardium.

To prevent complications and the possibility of restoring the functioning of the heart muscle, patients are advised to follow a daily routine and diet, give up alcohol and smoking, and limit physical and emotional stress. During deterioration of the condition, bed rest is required. During the recovery period, dosed physical activity is required with a gradual increase in the duration and intensity of exercise.

We recommend reading about the classification of myocardial dystrophy. You will learn about the causes of myocardial dystrophy in adults and children, types, symptoms, diagnosis and principles of treatment of myocardial dystrophy. And here is more information about hormonal myocardial dystrophy.

https://youtu.be/llB65BdJ46k

Kinds

There are several types of myocardial dystrophy associated with causative factors:

• Dishormonal myocardial dystrophy . It appears when there is a hormonal imbalance in the body, as well as a metabolic disorder. This type of MCD is most often determined in women experiencing menopause. The disease is accompanied by swelling, an increase in the size of internal organs, discomfort and pain in the heart area.
• Tonsillogenic MCD . Develops against the background of chronic tonsillitis or prolonged and frequent sore throat.
• Anemic MCD . Against the background of massive blood loss (hemorrhage), myocardial dystrophy occurs. The heart suffers due to lack of oxygen. This pathology is manifested by shortness of breath, pallor and tachycardia.
• Toxic form . Occurs in alcohol-dependent patients. Toxins in the form of ethyl alcohol destroy heart cells and affect the nervous system, as a result of which patients always have trembling fingers, increased sweating and a constant lack of air.
• Dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy . Caused by a violation of the protein-carbohydrate ratio in the human diet.
• Myocardial dystrophy after physical stress . This form of the disease affects people who are actively involved in sports or experience frequent physical overload. Most often it manifests itself as a feeling of pain, pressure, tingling in the cardiac region.
• Myocardial dystrophy of complex genesis . Often caused not by pathological processes on the part of the heart, but by exposure to external factors.

Myocardial dystrophy

General information

In cardiology, the term myocardial dystrophy (myocardial dystrophy) combines a group of non-degenerative and non-inflammatory lesions of the myocardial cardiac muscle. The code for myocardial dystrophy according to ICD-10 is I42.8 Other cardiomyopathies (dishormonal refers to I42.9 Cardiomyopathy, unspecified).

The pathology is characterized by significant changes in metabolic processes and a pronounced decrease in the contractile function of the myocardium. Cardiac dystrophy is always a secondary process that combines electrolyte, dysmetabolic, neurohumoral, enzymatic and autonomic disorders. Dystrophy of the left ventricle of the heart is characterized by changes both in the myocytes themselves and in the structures of the conduction system of the heart, which leads to disturbances in the basic functions of the myocardium:

• excitability;
• conductivity;
• automatism;
• contractility.

Dystrophic degeneration of the myocardium, especially at the initial stage, is usually reversible, which greatly distinguishes it from the degeneration that occurs with cardiac amyloidosis and hemochromatosis .

Pathogenesis

metabolites accumulate . As a result of changes in biochemical processes in the myocardium, the contractility of muscle fibers is disrupted, heart failure arrhythmias develop .

Myocytes are able to fully recover after eliminating the influence of negative factors. However, too long an exposure can lead to partial death of cardiomyocytes, which are subsequently replaced by connective tissue. cardiosclerosis is formed .

Classification

Pathological changes in the heart are classified according to the causes of their occurrence, which will be listed below in the appropriate section, by stages and by the speed of development.

By stages

• Compensation stage . At this stage, all changes are reversible. Gradually, foci of dystrophy form in the heart muscle, which are noticeable at the microscopic level. Symptoms are minimal or completely absent.
• Subcompensation stage . All changes in cardiomyocytes are still reversible. Confluent foci of dystrophy are formed. All changes are visible at the macroscopic level, the chambers of the heart begin to enlarge. Symptoms are increasing.
• Stage of decompensation . The changes become irreversible. necrosis occurs with their gradual replacement by connective tissue, which is unable to perform the normal functions of cardiomyocytes. The structure of the heart changes, symptoms increase sharply, and the patient’s condition worsens significantly.

Classification by speed of development

• Acute form . It occurs abruptly against the background of intense exposure to negative factors ( pulmonary embolism , severe physical overexertion, complicated hypertensive crisis ).
• Chronic form . It is formed under prolonged exposure to internal and external factors of moderate strength (frequent acute infections, chronic intoxication).

Causes

Myocardial dystrophy can develop under the influence of a variety of internal and external factors that disrupt the flow of metabolic and energy processes in the heart muscle.

Degenerative changes can form under the influence of acute and chronic exogenous intoxications (drug, industrial, alcohol), various physical agents (overheating, vibration, radiation).

Quite often, changes in the heart muscle are formed as a result of:

In newborns and young children, myocardial dystrophy can develop as a result of intrauterine infection , perinatal encephalopathy , and cardiovascular maladaptation syndrome due to hypoxia .

Pathological changes in the heart can also be observed in athletes, which is associated with excessive physical overload ( pathological athletic heart ).

Dishormonal myocardial dystrophy

It is diagnosed mainly in women aged 45-50 years. Occurs as a result of disturbances in the estrogenic functions of the ovaries. Dyshormonal cardiodystrophy occurs extremely rarely in men aged 50-55 years as a result of disturbances in the production of the hormone testosterone .

Main complaints:

• pain in the heart area during hot flashes;
• sensations of heat in the chest;
• increased sweating;
• feeling of rapid heartbeat.

If the patient has concomitant hypertension , heart failure may develop as a complication.

The dyshormonal form of myocardial dystrophy also includes changes in the heart muscle caused by disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland.

With thyrotoxicosis (hyperfunction of the thyroid gland), metabolism accelerates, which leads to weight loss, rhythm disturbances, insomnia , thirst, increased excitability of the nervous system and excessive nervousness.

With hypothyroidism, metabolism slows down. Patients complain of low blood pressure , swelling, a feeling of chilliness, and aching chest pain.

Fatty degeneration of the myocardium

With severe metabolic disorders, fats begin to be deposited in the heart muscle, completely replacing the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes over time. Fatty degeneration of the myocardium leads to a significant decrease in the contractility of the heart.

Patients complain of severe shortness of breath and aching pain in the area where the heart is located. In more advanced cases, swelling of the lower extremities occurs. Such patients are primarily indicated for lifestyle correction in parallel with drug therapy.

Dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy

What is dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy and when does it develop?

This pathology is observed in patients suffering from diabetes. It occurs as a result of metabolic disorders, which leads to damage to the coronary arteries . Patients complain of chest pain, simulating angina . The pain is not relieved by Nitroglycerin and is less intense.

Myocardial dystrophy of mixed origin

Several factors contribute to the development of this pathology.

What is it and how does it manifest itself? Most often, mixed myocardial dystrophy is observed in children suffering from chronic anemia . In young patients, neuroendocrine myocardial dystrophy develops, and electrolyte metabolism changes. A similar disease can also occur in adults. The very first diagnostic signs on the ECG are dysfunction of contraction (especially in the left ventricle). In the absence of adequate timely therapy, the negative effect on the heart is aggravated, disturbances begin to be registered in relation to automaticity, excitability and conductivity of the heart. And as a complication, the patient develops an acute hemodynamically significant pathological disease.

Myocardial dystrophy of complex origin

This variant is characterized by a more severe course. The disease is provoked by a systematic disturbance in the metabolism of organs and tissues, which leads to systemic changes. The first symptoms of the disease are nonspecific, which makes early diagnosis difficult. In more advanced cases, patients complain of respiratory disorders, arrhythmias, and increases in blood pressure.

Alcoholic cardiac dystrophy

It is generally accepted that this form develops with systematic, daily consumption of alcohol for 10 years. However, with a hereditary deficiency of specific enzymes that are responsible for processing ethanol, the disease can develop within 3 years. Most often, males aged 25-55 years are affected.

Myocardial dystrophy with anemia

When hemoglobin decreases below the level of 90-80 g/l, hemic hypoxia , which is accompanied by an energy deficiency in the heart muscle. The disease develops against the background of chronic blood loss, hemolytic and iron deficiency anemia, and DIC syndrome .

Symptoms of myocardial dystrophy

The symptoms of myocardial dystrophy directly depend on its stage. In the early stages of development, cardiac complaints may be absent. Patients experience decreased performance, rapid fatigue, and poor tolerance to habitual physical activity.

Later, as the disease progresses, patients begin to complain of prolonged, aching pain in the heart area that is not associated with physical activity and does not stop after taking Nitroglycerin . But at the same time, emotional and physical stress can provoke chest pain in such patients, but after a certain time. Most often the pain is causeless.

Often there is a feeling of rapid heartbeat, a feeling of lack of air, and shortness of breath. At later stages, swelling appears in the lower extremities, arrhythmias , and shortness of breath appears at rest. During an objective examination, you can hear a weakening of the first sound above the apex of the heart, tachycardia and a short systolic murmur.

Clinical symptoms largely depend on the cause that led to changes in the heart. With menopausal pathology, patients complain of a feeling of heat, frequent “hot flashes”, excessive sweating, and a feeling of paresthesia in the extremities. With thyrotoxicosis , rhythm and conduction disturbances develop quite quickly, and with anemia , the symptoms of heart valve defects are simulated (a pathological systolic murmur appears, characteristic of insufficiency of one of the valves: aortic, tricuspid or mitral).

Tests and diagnostics

In the anamnesis, patients with myocardial dystrophy reveal various pathological conditions and diseases, which are manifested by disturbances in metabolic processes and tissue hypoxic syndrome. Objectively, when examining the heart, you can hear a weak systolic murmur, a weakening of the first sound at the apex of the heart, muffled heart sounds and irregular rhythm.

The electrocardiogram records nonspecific changes in the myocardium, disturbances in repolarization processes, arrhythmias, and signs of decreased myocardial contractile function.

Drug and stress tests give a negative result (coronary artery disease is excluded).

When performing phonocardiography , the ratio of the duration of electrical and mechanical systole changes.

Echocardiography confirms the expansion of the cavities of the heart, changes in the structures of the heart muscle are recorded. In this case, no organic pathology is observed.

If chest x-ray a myopathic configuration of the heart , then this indicates deep damage to the myocardium.

Using scintigraphy, you can assess the perfusion and metabolism of the heart muscle, detect diffuse/focal changes, which will indicate a decrease in the number of normally functioning cardiomyocytes.

In extremely doubtful cases, they resort to myocardial biopsy , when all non-invasive studies performed have not yielded any result. Differential diagnosis is carried out with such diseases as:

UAC indicators are usually normal.

Treatment of myocardial dystrophy

Treatment of dystrophy of the left ventricle of the heart is complex. Therapy begins with treatment of the underlying disease that led to the development of pathology of the heart muscle.

Clinic

There are various stages of development of myocardial dystrophy, according to which the disease is divided into three clinical stages:

1. The first is characterized by discomfort and pain in the heart, shortness of breath and rapid fatigue without any prerequisites. At this stage, the size of the heart increases (cardiomegaly).
2. The second is that the heart rhythm is abnormal, the limbs may swell slightly. Cardiac output decreases, which in turn negatively affects the blood supply to organs. With timely treatment started at this stage of MCD, it is still possible to restore cardiac activity.
3. The third is characterized by the presence of severe shortness of breath, even during rest. Stagnation of blood in the blood vessels is determined, which is manifested by severe swelling. The patient's performance is noticeably reduced. The heart ceases to provide normal blood circulation. At this stage, irreversible changes occur.

In young people, if the body has sufficient energy and health, myocardial dystrophy can occur without symptoms. However, with age they still appear. It is worth noting that the severity of signs and their variation depends on the characteristics of a particular person.

The main symptoms of myocardial dystrophy are pain and other unpleasant sensations localized in the heart. In addition, there are several additional signs:

• Intermittent breathing. It can occur not only against the background of a significant load on the body, but also for no apparent reason.
• Arrhythmia. In some cases, the heart beats very quickly, with pulsating feedback in the temples. In others, there is a very slow heartbeat.
• Constant discomfort in the chest.
• Severe drowsiness for no particular reason.
• Decreased performance.

The above symptoms can occur in both adults and children, as well as during adolescence.

Myocardial dystrophy symptoms and treatment

What is myocardial dystrophy? We will discuss the causes, diagnosis and treatment methods in the article by Dr. M. A. Madoyan, a cardiologist with 18 years of experience.

Definition of disease. Causes of the disease

Myocardial dystrophy (MCD) is a group of secondary reversible lesions of the muscular layer of the heart (myocardium) of a non-inflammatory and non-coronarogenic nature, which are caused by metabolic disorders in the myocardium and are manifested by a violation of its functions. [1] [3] [5]

General signs of myocardial dystrophies:

1. The metabolism in the tissues of the heart is disrupted.
2. It occurs secondary, that is, it is a consequence or complication of other pathologies.
3. The root cause cannot be inflammation and damage to the arteries of the heart (they cause other diseases - myocarditis, coronary heart disease).
4. Reversibility at the initial stages (when the causes are eliminated).
5. Manifested by a variety of nonspecific cardiac disorders.

The disease affects different age groups, but is more common after 40 years. [2] [3] [4] [6] [7]

Myocardial dystrophy can be caused by a variety of internal and external factors that disrupt the metabolism and energy in the tissues of the heart. [1] [3] [5] [6] [7]

Internal (endogenous) factors are pathological processes in the body complicated by myocardial dystrophy. Endogenous factors can be divided into two large groups: cardiac and non-cardiac causes of MCD.

Cardiac factors include:

• heart defects;
• myocarditis;
• coronary heart disease (hereinafter referred to as IHD);
• heart changes due to hypertension;
• heart changes due to pulmonary hypertension;

• blood diseases (anemia);
• diseases of the endocrine system and metabolism (diabetes mellitus, obesity, starvation, gout, dysfunction of the thyroid gland, pathological menopause and others) [2][6][7] ;
• diseases of the digestive system (severe damage to the liver, pancreas or intestines);
• diseases of the muscular system (myasthenia gravis, myotonia);
• endogenous intoxications (chronic renal failure, chronic liver failure);
• infections (acute and chronic, bacterial and viral).

External (exogenous) factors are pathological effects on the body of the external environment and lifestyle:

• exposure to physical factors (radiation, vibration, extreme temperatures) [7] ;
• exposure to chemical factors (chronic and acute poisoning with chemical elements and compounds, alcohol, drugs, certain medications);
• physical and psycho-emotional stress (chronic and acute). [2][4]

Symptoms of myocardial dystrophy

Characteristics of symptoms in myocardial dystrophy:

• nonspecific - can be observed in other diseases;
• superimposed on the symptoms of the disease (condition) that caused MCD;
• reversible - can completely disappear if the cause of MCD is eliminated in a timely manner;
• increase as MCD develops.

Types of symptoms in MCD:

• Heartache. Unlike pain in ischemic heart disease, it is not associated with physical activity, does not have a burning or pressing nature, is longer lasting, and is not relieved (interrupted) by nitrates. Unlike pain caused by damage to the pleura (the lining of the lungs), it is not associated with the act of breathing and coughing. Unlike pain with damage to the spine, it is not associated with movements in the body. But they can, like pleural and vertebral pain, be relieved with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Shortness of breath is a feeling of lack of air. As with most other diseases with shortness of breath, the latter usually increases with exertion.
• Swelling. As with most other heart diseases, edema is most often localized in the lower extremities and increases in the evening.
• Heart rhythm disturbances. There may be attacks of palpitations, unpleasant feelings of interruptions, cardiac arrest, dizziness, and rarely, fainting.

Pathogenesis of myocardial dystrophy

The following types of heart tissue are involved in the pathogenesis of myocardial dystrophy:

1. Muscle tissue (cardiac muscle, myocardium). The function is to contract normally (while blood is expelled from the heart chambers) and relax (while the heart chambers are filled with the next portion of blood).
2. Nervous tissue (conducting system of the heart). The function is to generate nerve impulses of strictly defined characteristics (location of origin, frequency) and conduct them to the myocardium without delay. It is the nerve impulse that causes the heart muscle to contract.

When metabolic processes (electrolyte, protein, energy) are disrupted, the functions of the cardiac tissues are also disrupted [1] [2] [5]: muscle cells lose the ability to perform normal contractions, and nerve cells lose the ability to generate and conduct normal impulses.

Moreover, not all heart tissue is affected at once. First, single foci of dystrophy of several cells appear, and neighboring undamaged cells try to compensate for the loss and strengthen their function. Then the number and size of the affected lesions increase, their fusion occurs, healthy areas lose the ability to compensate for deterioration in performance, expansion of the heart chambers and severe dysfunction of the heart appear. [3]

Then, when the influence of the causative factor ceases, a slow restoration of the structure and function of cells begins. [7] With continued exposure to the causative factor, cell death occurs and they are replaced by scar (connective) tissue. Connective tissue is not able to contract and relax, generate and conduct impulses, and be replaced by healthy cells. The process of formation of connective tissue in the heart is called cardiosclerosis; at this stage, the disease can no longer develop back. [3]

Classification and stages of development of myocardial dystrophy

Myocardial dystrophies are classified according to the causes listed above, as well as by the speed of development and stages of the disease. [15]

According to the rate of development of myocardial dystrophies, they are distinguished:

• acute form (with massive exposure to external and internal factors: for example, with pulmonary embolism, hypertensive crisis, acute physical overstrain);
• chronic form (with prolonged exposure to moderate external and internal factors: for example, chronic intoxication, often recurrent acute infections).

According to the stages of myocardial dystrophy, there are:

• Stage I - compensation. Reversible. Foci of dystrophy are formed. Changes at the microscopic level. There are no or minimal symptoms.
• Stage II - subcompensation. Reversible. The foci of dystrophy merge. Changes at the macroscopic level, the chambers of the heart increase in size. Symptoms are increasing.
• Stage III - decompensation. Irreversible. Necrosis of cells with their replacement by connective tissue is cardiosclerosis. Progressive disorder of the heart structure and increasing symptoms.

Complications of myocardial dystrophy

• Chronic heart failure is the loss of the heart's ability to provide the body with the required blood flow. Manifested by increasing shortness of breath, palpitations, and weakness. [3] Symptoms first appear during intense exercise, then during normal exercise, it takes more and more time to recover, and swelling appears and intensifies. Then shortness of breath and palpitations appear with any movement, then at rest, attacks of cardiac asthma occur, and pulmonary edema may develop. Well-chosen treatment can slow down the development of events in this scenario for a long time. Without treatment, death from progressive heart failure occurs fairly quickly.
• Cardiac rhythm and conduction disorders are the loss of the ability of the cardiac conduction system to generate and conduct normal impulses. Impulses become pathological (occur in the wrong places, with the wrong frequency) or cannot reach the working myocardium and cause its contraction. The range of cardiac rhythm and conduction disturbances is extremely wide [2]: from minor (single, rare extrasystole (premature heart contraction), some types of blockades) to life-threatening (paroxysmal rhythm disturbances, atrial fibrillation, severe blockades). The manifestations can also be different: from the complete absence of symptoms to severe palpitations, heart pain, and fainting. Accordingly, different treatment is expected - from no need for special treatment to emergency surgery.

Diagnosis of myocardial dystrophy

Objectives of the diagnostic process:

• exclusion of other, more dangerous and irreversible heart diseases;
• identifying the causes of myocardial dystrophy;
• determining the effectiveness of the treatment received.

In the diagnosis of myocardial dystrophies, competent questioning and careful examination of the patient are of great importance. Electrocardiography, ultrasound of the heart, X-ray examination of the chest organs, and laboratory tests of blood and urine are also performed. [3] There are no specific changes in the results of these studies for myocardial dystrophies, but they make it possible to identify diseases that are the causes of myocardial dystrophies. ECG and ultrasound of the heart can be performed repeatedly to assess the positive dynamics of heart function during treatment.

Treatment of myocardial dystrophy

Objectives of the treatment process:

• eliminating the cause of myocardial dystrophy;
• restoration (improvement) of metabolism in cardiac tissues;
• elimination (reduction) of symptoms;
• prevention and treatment of complications.

The timeliness and completeness of eliminating the cause of myocardial dystrophy determines the effectiveness of therapy and its timing. At the stage of eliminating the cause, the treatment process varies greatly in patients with different causes of the disease: [1] [2] [5] [6] [7]

• women with pathological menopause are treated by gynecologists using hormonal drugs;
• patients with chronic tonsillitis , complicated by myocardial dystrophy, require surgical removal of the tonsils by an ENT doctor;
• thyrotoxicosis , as a cause of myocardial dystrophy, is treated by an endocrinologist with medication or removal of the thyroid gland or part thereof;
• anemia is treated by a hematologist or therapist, depending on the severity of the disease - inpatient or outpatient;
• To treat alcoholic myocardial dystrophy, it is necessary to exclude alcohol consumption, so the help of a narcologist is required here.
• fasting , being the cause of MCD, can be eliminated with the help of a psychiatrist if the patient has anorexia, and by involving social services in the problem if the patient is unable to provide himself with regular nutrition;
• severe psycho-emotional reactions that cause myocardial dystrophy are treated by a psychotherapist with psychotherapy sessions or medication;
• physical overexertion , which caused myocardial dystrophy, must be urgently stopped and should not be resumed; in this case, outside of sports, the role of the doctor is played by the patient himself, and in sports - by a coach under the guidance of sports medicine doctors. [2][4] And so on.

However, not every identified cause of myocardial dystrophy can be eliminated. For example, the diseases themselves (long-term or chronic) and the toxic drugs used to treat them, radiation therapy for cancer patients, intractable addictions, and more.

In parallel with the treatment of the underlying disease that caused myocardial dystrophy (regardless of whether it can be eliminated or not), all patients are observed by a cardiologist; according to his prescription, types of treatment are used aimed at improving metabolism in cardiac tissues, reducing symptoms and preventing complications. [3]

Non-drug treatment - normalization of lifestyle and nutrition, giving up bad habits. It is important that the patient adheres to a certain daily routine, has adequate rest and nutrition, must have regular physical activity that is adequate for him, and is in the fresh air every day. It is also very important that the patient has something in his life that interests him. Non-drug treatment is the patient's responsibility. The doctor can recommend, but the patient must implement it himself.

Drug treatment:

• Potassium preparations, B vitamins, and metabolic stimulants improve metabolism in the heart. They are usually prescribed in courses 3-4 times a year.
• Drugs with antiarrhythmic activity reduce the symptoms of arrhythmias. Conduction and rhythm disturbances may require surgical treatment.
• Drugs such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and β-blockers reduce the symptoms of chronic heart failure and are a means of preventing its development. [3]

Drug treatment is the responsibility of the doctor. Under no circumstances should you try to treat yourself. Each medication (vitamins and metabolic stimulants, including) can cause harm under certain conditions.

Forecast. Prevention

In stages I and II, the prognosis is favorable. After eliminating the causative factor, heart function can be completely restored. The duration of the recovery period depends on the time of initiation of treatment (the faster adequate therapy is started, the faster the pathological changes regress) and on the general condition of the body (young age, absence of concomitant diseases contribute to the fastest recovery) and can range from a year to many years. [7]

In stage III, the prognosis depends on the severity of the changes and the presence of complications. Since changes in the heart are already irreversible, we are not talking about restoring normal heart parameters and good health, but about slowing down the progression of chronic heart failure and rhythm disturbances. In stage III, lifelong treatment is necessary, professional activity is limited or impossible, and in the absence of treatment, the prognosis for life becomes unfavorable.

Prevention:

• healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits;
• timely detection and adequate treatment of all diseases;
• sanitation (prevention) of foci of chronic infection;
• elimination of the harmful effects of environmental factors, regular medical examination when working with occupational hazards.

Sources: https://probolezny.ru/miokardiodistrophiya/ https://probolezny.ru/miokardiodistrophiya/

Complications

In middle-aged and older patients, the most unfavorable complications of myocardial dystrophy occur. They often lie in the almost complete incurability of the disease and the difficulty of eliminating clinical signs.

In childhood, myocardial dystrophy threatens severe complications. This is due to the fact that the child’s body is not fully formed, and dystrophic disorders can have an unhealthy effect on other organs and systems of the body. Insufficient blood flow to the tissues of the heart and impaired contractile function of the myocardium negatively affect the physical development of the child. If parents seek help in a timely manner, any violations or complications can be avoided. But in the absence of adequate therapy, myocardial dystrophy in children can become complicated:

• IHD;
• atherosclerosis;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• insufficiency of cardiac activity.

Diagnosis of myocardial dystrophy

Myocardial dystrophy is accompanied by all organic diseases of the heart muscle. The diagnosis of myocardial dystrophy, which involves reversible and functional changes in the myocardium, follows the diagnosis of the underlying disease that caused its development. ECG data are of great importance for diagnosing this disease.

The diagnosis of myocardial dystrophy is most accurately made only on the basis of a heart biopsy, however, the high danger for the patient and the complexity of this procedure do not allow the use of this method in all suspicious cases.

Diagnostics

As mentioned above, myocardial dystrophy in some cases occurs without symptoms. This contributes to the fact that it is clinically difficult to suspect MCD, therefore, in the early stages, only a thorough diagnosis will help determine dystrophic damage to the myocardium. Not all instrumental studies are able to detect initial abnormalities in the heart, but advanced technologies make this possible.

Diagnosis of myocardial dystrophy is carried out using

• Electrocardiography . This diagnostic method makes it possible to detect even minor changes in the functioning of the heart.
• Bicycle ergometry . Allows you to provoke hidden forms of arrhythmia using physical activity and record them using an ECG.
• X-rays . An X-ray of the lungs is taken, which shows pathological processes, as well as the contours of the heart, from which the approximate size of the organ is determined.
• Phonocardiography . Allows you to identify heart murmurs of varying intensity and direction.
• Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart . The study allows you to determine pathological formations by type of tumor, hypertrophy, etc.
• Clinical blood test.

Sometimes a clinical urine test is done. This test has nothing to do with heart function, but if the test is used to detect kidney problems, heart failure may be detected.

History of myocardial dystrophy

History of the disease myocardial dystrophy originates in the relatively recent past. In 1936, the Soviet general practitioner, author of more than a hundred scientific papers and publications, Georgy Fedorovich Lang first introduced the term “myocardial dystrophy” into the nomenclature of myocardial diseases, however, not in the limited morphological content of the concept “dystrophy”, but as a broader pathophysiological and clinical concept, emphasizing and revealing the fundamental role of dystrophy processes at the molecular level.

Research by G.F. Lang about myocardial dystrophy, especially its variant with dystrophy from hyperfunction, was much ahead of its time. Subsequent advances in medicine made it possible to confirm its correctness, as well as to specify the mechanisms of the formation of energy deficiency in the heart muscle at the molecular and subcellular levels.

Treatment

For myocardial dystrophy, treatment directions are based on eliminating the cause of its occurrence. Taking into account external factors and the individual characteristics of the patient, doctors prescribe the complex use of medications to normalize cardiac activity, as well as the consumption of hormonal drugs and a wide range of vitamins. Cardiotonics help normalize heart rhythm. Due to the fact that the causes of pathology are individual, a number of medications are also prescribed by doctors on an individual basis.

Self-medication of myocardial dystrophy is unacceptable. This only aggravates the course of the disease, which manifests itself as complications. As a result, the development of the pathology may change in such a way that an irreversible stage of myocardial dystrophy occurs.

Video Dystrophy. Treatment of dystrophy of muscles, myocardium, eyes, liver with folk remedies

https://youtu.be/GJKPIJdU1N4

Vitamin preparations used for myocardial dystrophy:

• Thiamine (vitamin B1)
• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
• Calcium pangamate (vitamin B15)
• Coenzyme Q10
• Cytochrome C
• Magnesium and potassium salts

Cardiometabolic therapy (improves cardiomyocyte metabolism):

• Levocarnitine (Agvantar) is the main drug used in the treatment of myocardial dystrophy. Helps improve heart function and helps eliminate many clinical signs of the disease.

Myocardial dystrophy is most often not treated with surgery because medications can usually completely eliminate the symptoms of the disease. Cardiac surgery is performed only when manifestations of severe heart failure are detected:

• heart rhythm disorders;
• severe shortness of breath at rest;
• constant swelling of the limbs.

In such cases, open heart surgery is usually performed.

Forecast

The prognosis for timely treatment of myocardial dystrophy will be favorable. The patient manages to completely get rid of unpleasant symptoms and avoid the development of serious complications. An advanced stage of pathology will lead to irreversible changes and deadly conditions: heart failure, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction.

Myocardial dystrophy is a common pathology, so it would not be superfluous for each person to learn a little more about it. This will help avoid untimely detection of dangerous changes in the functionality of the heart muscle. To keep your heart healthy, you need to be attentive to any suspicious symptoms. An adequate response of the pathological syndrome to treatment allows one to make positive prognoses regarding it.

Prevention

To avoid or reduce the risk of developing myocardial dystrophy, the following preventive measures should be taken:

• lead a healthy lifestyle, for which it is important to quit smoking and drinking alcohol;
• accustom yourself to daily feasible physical activity, which allows you to keep your heart in the right tone;
• avoid overheating or hypothermia;
• regularly practice contrast dousing;
• undergo annual massage treatment;
• minimize stressful situations;
• take enough vitamins;
• drink at least a liter of fluid per day;
• reduce your calorie intake.

Video Prevention of cardiovascular diseases: current trends

https://youtu.be/1b8UGyvkTMA

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Features of the changes

Dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy is caused by changes in hormonal levels. This phenomenon is possible under the influence of certain diseases, or during special transitional states: menopause, puberty, thyroid dysfunction. Reduced or increased levels of female and male hormones entail different symptoms, which depend on the disease or pathology that caused hormonal disorders.

Dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy during menopause is accompanied by tachycardia, increased sweating, and chest pain that occurs in a state of physical rest. They are dull or stabbing in nature. If the production of hormones is reduced, fluid stagnates in the cardiomyocytes, and metabolism in the cardiac tissues is slowed down.

Dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy develops when the coronary vessels are affected and metabolic disorders develop in the body. The main source of pathology is diabetes mellitus. Manifestations: the heart hurts, there is a similarity with angina pain, but the syndrome does not go away after taking Nitroglycerin, it is felt weaker and does not occur under the influence of physical activity.

The anemic type of dystrophy is associated with the manifestation of anemia, severe bleeding, iron deficiency in pregnant women, and hypoxia of the whole body. The patient experiences an erratic heart rhythm, increased heart rate, swollen legs, aching pain in the chest, shortness of breath, and pale skin.

Alcohol also causes dystrophic changes in the myocardium. Alcoholic dystrophy manifests itself during prolonged drinking bouts. Toxic substances create a barrier to energy synthesis and reduce potassium levels in the blood. There may be no pain, but arrhythmia, difficulty breathing, neurological disorders, excessive sweating, anxiety, and hand tremors appear.

The tonsilogenic form of myocardial damage appears when chronic tonsillitis causes complications in the heart. At risk are people who often suffer from colds, sore throats, and sore throats. The main manifestations of the pathology: interruptions in the heart rhythm, a feeling of weakness, aching or stabbing pain in the chest.

Pathological changes in the heart muscle in this case are caused by long-term, intense sports training, which is typical for professional athletes. This condition is manifested by low blood pressure, decreased heart rate, severe weakness, a feeling of heart pulsation, stabbing pain in the chest.

Myocardial dystrophy of complex genesis - what is it? The development of complex myocardial dystrophy requires several different factors. Moreover, all of them have nothing to do with cardiac diseases. The main provoking factor is impaired metabolism. Additional – bad habits, poisoning, endocrine disorders.

Myocardial dystrophy of mixed origin occurs against the background of several different causes: vitamin deficiency, neurogenic and electrolyte disorders, dysmetabolism, hyperfunction of the thyroid gland, decreased hemoglobin levels. As a result, the myocardium enlarges, its cells stretch, and the partitions between the chambers become thinner.

Treatment of dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy in adults and children

To treat metabolic disorders in the myocardium, it is necessary first of all to compensate for hormonal imbalance.
For this purpose, sex hormone replacement therapy is used for menopause, and thyroid-stimulating drugs for thyroid pathology. To improve myocardial nutrition, vitamins, Riboxin, Potassium Orotate, Panangin, and, if necessary, anabolic drugs and adaptogens are prescribed.
Treatment of arrhythmia and heart failure is carried out according to the usual principles. The treatment complex includes anticoagulants, diuretics, and sedatives.

For children with myocardial dystrophy, vitamin therapy, intake of potassium and magnesium salts, antioxidants and cardiac medications are usually recommended. For pain in the heart, sedatives are used - Novopassit, tinctures of motherwort and valerian, mint. If there are signs of asthenia (low appetite, general weakness and fatigue), then tonic tinctures of ginseng, eleutherococcus, and lemongrass may be recommended in the morning and afternoon.

To learn how a woman can eliminate the negative consequences of menopause, watch this video:

https://youtu.be/WELZGYi4pak

Causes of myocardial dystrophy

There are a great many factors leading to the development of pathology. For example, alcoholic myocardial dystrophy occurs due to systematic abuse of alcoholic beverages. In addition to alcohol, there are other exogenous intoxications - industrial, medicinal, radiation.

The cause of the disease can be:

• obesity;
• poor nutrition;
• anemia;
• kidney and liver diseases;
• vitamin deficiency;
• endocrine pathologies;
• metabolic disorders;
• physical stress;
• connective tissue diseases;
• infectious diseases.

Among the metabolic and endocrine pathologies that accompany the course of the disease, hypothyroidism, thyrotoxicosis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperparathyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, obesity, pathological menopause (in women) and vitamin deficiency are distinguished.

Often, cardiac myocardial dystrophy is caused by systemic diseases (neuromuscular dystrophy, collagenosis), pathologies of the digestive system (pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, malabsorption syndrome), infections (for example, chronic tonsillitis). In children, MCD can develop as a result of perinatal encephalopathy, hypoxia and intrauterine infections.

The listed unfavorable factors provoke heart failure and disrupt the normal rhythm.

Conventionally, the causes of MCD can be grouped into eight groups - nervous tension, poor nutrition of the heart, excessive physical activity, chronic gastrointestinal diseases, metabolic and nutritional dysfunctions, toxin poisoning and hormonal disorders.

Poor cardiac nutrition is caused by dysfunction of the coronary circulation, malformations, hypertension, altitude sickness and low hemoglobin in the blood. Depressive states, neuroses and stress should also be avoided.

Treatment methods

Myocardial dystrophy refers to diseases that can be completely cured provided that the underlying cause of the pathology is stabilized, but only if the disease has not entered the phase of cardiac failure. In this case, it is only possible to improve the quality and prolong the patient’s life.

Treatment consists of several main areas that must be carried out simultaneously.

Elimination of the causative factor

The main direction of therapy. It is necessary to eliminate the primary disease or causes that caused pathological changes in the heart muscle. The possibility of complete restoration of the myocardium depends on how effective these measures are.

Toxic and dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy respond well to treatment; diseases with genetic transmission (neuromuscular diseases) or associated with excessive accumulation of substances in the cells of internal organs are more difficult to influence.

Dystrophy due to physical overstrain requires the abolition of stress, and neurogenic myocardial dystrophy requires high-quality psychological assistance and sedatives.

Infectious myocardial dystrophies require antibacterial treatment and elimination of the source of infection. For tonsillitis, it is necessary to remove the tonsils during a cold period, otherwise there will be no effect from the treatment.

Alcoholic dystrophies respond to treatment very slowly, the process takes many months and sometimes years. A prerequisite is a complete abstinence from drinking any form of alcohol.

Impact on energy and metabolic processes

Complexes of drugs are used to increase protein synthesis, resistance to free radicals and restore normal electrolyte balance in the myocardium:

• vitamins B and C;
• folic acid;
• potassium orotate;
• panangin;
• cocarboxylase;
• ATP;
• retabolil and other anabolic hormones.

As well as means for improving the nutrition of myocardial tissue and increasing its resistance to low oxygen levels:

1. Trimetazidine.
2. Riboxin.
3. Mildronate.

Significant weight loss is an indication for enteral (oral) replacement support through the introduction of high-calorie nutritional media:

Improved heart function

Medicines are used to maintain and restore normal function of the heart muscle:

• to stabilize the disturbed rhythm of the heartbeat (antiarrhythmic);
• to reduce the load on the myocardium (diuretics);
• to improve the conductivity and contractility of the heart muscle (glycosides);
• in order to normalize blood pressure levels (hypotensive).

Myocardial dystrophy can be completely restored if the cause of the disease is treatable and therapy is carried out before the onset of severe cardiac dysfunction.

In the case of severe cardiac output impairment, the prognosis is unfavorable - patients die within 1–2 years, even with treatment. Without therapy, patients do not survive for years.

Myocardial dystrophy can occur in an acute form, quickly leading to impaired cardiac function, and cause sudden death (athletes during or immediately after training). In this case, a lack of oxygen occurs in the myocardium, the electrolyte composition of the cells changes and the conduction of excitation through the conduction system is disrupted - the heart stops.

Features of dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy

• Causes of the disease
• Signs that define the disease and diagnosis
• Therapeutic measures
• Preventive measures

Dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy is characterized by non-inflammatory lesions of the myocardium with disorders of the functional abilities of the heart. The main feature of the disorder is improper metabolism in myocardial cells.

With timely treatment, dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy can go away, and all pathological processes in the heart will be reversible. However, in severe cases of progressive disease, serious consequences are possible: heart failure and atrophy of myocardial muscle fibers.

Both the female and male parts of the population are susceptible to this disease, and it is typical for any age. Today myocardial dystrophy has been little studied.

ethnoscience

Despite the fact that such a concept as myocardial dystrophy appeared no more than 100 years ago, people have experienced heart problems in all centuries. Therefore, traditional medicine not only offers proven recipes, but also gives practical advice. Everything that happens to a person is the activity of his brain. Any disease is a combination of various factors.

When a person stops believing in real help, the brain stops providing the correct information. And the cardiovascular system suffers first of all. You must, of course, believe in the effective help of traditional medicine. But all the proposed recipes will help only as a component of complex therapy during treatment, during the recovery period and for prevention.

Important! The key to a quick recovery from myocardial dystrophy is a positive attitude and faith in success!

This drink is a real storehouse of vitamins for a sick heart. To prepare the decoction, you must use a thermos. Volume no more than liter. We must remember that patients with MCD should not consume more than one and a half liters of fluid per day.

Pour boiling water over two tablespoons of fruit and leave for at least 12 hours. It's better to do this at night. Drink the drink in equal parts, at equal intervals throughout the day. Add honey one spoon at a time. You cannot add honey to a hot drink, as it loses its healing properties at temperatures above 60 degrees. Drink the prepared remedy for a month, then you can take a break for two weeks and continue treatment.

Herbal infusions

Herbal infusions are reliable remedies that help eliminate shortness of breath, calm the nerves, and strengthen the heart muscle. For this you can use:

motherwort;

valerian;

lemon balm;

St. John's wort;

thyme.

You can add hawthorn fruits to this collection of herbs. Mix all dry ingredients in one container. Pour two tablespoons of the prepared mixture into a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. If hawthorn fruits are used to prepare this decoction, it is better to take a thermos and leave for 12 hours. Drink half a glass of the drink with honey three times a day.

This recipe is known to many heart lovers, but many have simply forgotten about it. For cooking you will need dried fruits - raisins, dried apricots, prunes - all 200 grams. Soak dried fruits, dry them and grind them in a meat grinder. To the resulting mixture add two lemons with peel, crushed in a meat grinder, and a glass of nuts, preferably cashews. Mix everything thoroughly. Keep in the refrigerator and take one tablespoon daily on an empty stomach.

Important! Any chosen traditional medicine must be agreed with the attending physician. Self-administration is not advisable.

As for traditional medicine methods, they are recommended to be used as an additional means to strengthen the heart muscle and after consulting a doctor. Below are examples of proven medicinal preparations.

Collection No. 1

Ingredients: goldenrod, valerian root, viburnum bark, motherwort rhizome.

How to cook:

• take all ingredients equally;
• grind;
• mix;
• cook using a water bath for 10-15 minutes;
• let stand for one hour;
• strain.

How to use: one tablespoon shortly before meals, number of doses - 3-4 times a day.

Collection No. 2

Ingredients: lavender (inflorescences), fragrant rue, adonis, beaver, rosemary leaf.

How to cook:

• bring to a crushed state;
• use a few tablespoons of each component to obtain a homogeneous mixture;
• take 1 tbsp. l. collecting 300 ml of water (it should boil);
• cook the drug in a water bath for 15 minutes;
• cool, leave for 30-40 minutes.

How to use: drink one glass of the strained and squeezed drink before each meal.

Salad for the heart. Prepare a paste of onions and apples using a grater. Take the ingredients in equal parts. Consuming three times a day can help restore metabolism in cardiomyocytes.

Sprouted grains for the treatment of various types of myocardial dystrophy

Pour half a glass of wheat grains with water. Wait for the sprouts to appear. When they grow to 1-2 mm, wash the grains and grind them. Add honey (1 tbsp), raisins, prunes. Season the dish with vegetable oil. You need to eat this healthy mixture in the morning before meals every day. The disease must be treated in this way until cardiac disorders are completely eliminated.

If the disease is caught in the initial stage, it is enough to reconsider your lifestyle, normalize your diet, eliminate nervous overload, and get rid of bad habits. In order to prevent the progression of MCD, it is useful to visit a medical resort or take a course of recreational activities at a sanatorium specializing in cardiac diseases.

Heart damage due to anemia

Anemic myocardial dystrophy is a complex of pathological transformations in the structure of the myocardium associated with chronic iron deficiency anemia. A decrease in the number of red blood cells in the circulating blood leads to a decrease in the amount of oxygen they carry. The load on the cardiovascular system increases, as the body tries to compensate for the deficiency of red blood cells by increasing blood flow. Thus, oxygenation (oxygen enrichment) of tissues and organs slightly increases.

However, the heart itself, under conditions of oxygen starvation, quickly depletes its resources. Over time, the walls of the heart hypertrophy. Hypoxia promotes an increase in the number of connective tissue fibers in the heart muscle. This reduces the elasticity and conductivity of impulses. This means that heart performance deteriorates.

Clinical symptoms are not much different from the manifestations of cardiomyopathy and chronic heart failure:

• shortness of breath;
• discomfort and pain behind the sternum after physical activity;
• rhythm and conduction disturbances.
• decreased tolerance to stress and, as a consequence, a sharp deterioration in the quality of life and decreased performance.

The main focus of treatment should be identifying and eliminating the cause of anemia. The use of iron supplements has proven itself well. A balanced diet and adequate physical activity are helpful. Be sure to constantly monitor your blood condition. Supportive cardiovascular therapy in the form of metabolic drugs is indicated.

Reasons for the development of myocardial dystrophy

Many causes of myocardial dystrophy can appear at any age. In children, changes in the muscle layer of the heart are usually caused by abnormalities in the prenatal period or infectious diseases, and in adults, along with endocrine pathology, they are affected by bad habits and the environment.

In children

In infants, myocardial dystrophy is caused by: bacterial and viral infections, birth injuries, congenital endocrine and metabolic pathologies, and disorders of adaptation of the cardiovascular system.
After the first year, the most common causes of metabolic disorders in the heart muscle are:

• frequent colds;
• foci of chronic infection - tonsils, nasopharynx, lungs, kidneys;
• overweight and physical inactivity;
• long-term medication use;
• malabsorption in the intestine;
• deficiency of protein and vitamins in food;
• physical overload.

In adults

The causes of myocardial dystrophy may be associated with the external environment and diseases, metabolic pathologies. The most common factors of myocardial damage:

• excessive physical activity;
• prolonged stress;
• poisoning with alcohol, medications, industrial waste (lithium, cobalt);
• radioactive or x-ray irradiation, vibration, sudden temperature fluctuations (overheating, frostbite);
• endocrine diseases - impaired secretion of thyroid and adrenal hormones, diabetes mellitus, menopausal syndrome;
• obesity, lack of vitamins and protein in the diet, deficiency of potassium, magnesium and iron;
• infections, autoimmune reactions;
• muscle or connective tissue weakness;
• tumors.

Fatty heart: it is enlarged due to large amounts of fat deposited in the epicardium

Anatomy and physiology of the heart

The heart is the most important organ in the human body. Its main function is to pump blood through a closed system of blood vessels. Conventionally, you can imagine the heart as a muscle pump, but this will be a very simplified idea. The structure of the muscle tissue of the heart is not similar to the smooth muscle fibers of the internal organs, and is far from similar to skeletal muscles. And this is not surprising, because this “muscle” works continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, throughout a person’s life, without stopping for a single second.

The heart is a four-chambered hollow organ, mostly consisting of the myocardium (muscle layer). The right half of the heart is isolated, represented by the corresponding atrium and ventricle. Their main function is to pump venous blood to the lungs through the pulmonary circulation. Where it is enriched with oxygen and then enters the left half of the heart.

The left side also has an atrium and a ventricle. Their task is to pump blood into the aorta, through the systemic circulation. An equally important component is the system of valves, which are located between the chambers of the heart, as well as at the exit points of the vessels. Their main task is to ensure blood flow in one direction.

As already mentioned, the heart mainly consists of the myocardium. Also in its structure there is an inner layer - the endocardium, lining the cavities of the heart. The epicardium is a sheath of connective tissue covering the outside of the myocardium. The pericardium, or cardiac sac, is a kind of bag whose main task is to protect the heart pump and neighboring organs from the negative effects of friction.

Considering the continuous work of the heart muscle, this is a very energy-intensive structure. This is due to the fact that this tissue must consume a decent amount of oxygen and nutrients to perform its function. If the quantity and quality of “fuel” do not meet the minimum requirements, various compensation mechanisms come into play. But the resource of these mechanisms is also exhausted and, unfortunately, sooner or later there comes a moment of irreversible structural changes in the myocardium - myocardial dystrophy.

Signs of illness

Myocardial dystrophy has the following symptoms:

• easy fatigue, malaise;
• asthmatic manifestations even with light exertion;
• frequent heart pain, heart rhythm disturbances, interruptions in heart function;
• manifestation of atypical changes on the ECG.

Often the general manifestations of myocardial dystrophy are hidden behind the manifestations of the underlying disease; it became a consequence of this pathology. So after thyrotoxicosis, arrhythmia, high blood pressure, and tachycardia appear. Due to anemia, a murmur may be heard over the lungs. After mexidemia, shortness of breath, decreased heart rate, and hypotension are noted.

Myocardial dystrophy with the described symptoms requires full treatment under the supervision of a cardiologist.

Stages and symptoms of the disease

Myocardial dystrophy develops in stages. Each stage of the process has its own symptoms, corresponding to the degree of disruption of biochemical processes in the tissues of the heart. In addition to these manifestations, patients have complaints inherent to the underlying disease - the cause of myocardial damage.

The first, or neurohumoral, stage

• Variable, indistinct, weak painful sensations in the projection of the heart. They occur against the background of emotional or physical stress. There is no pain at rest.
• Moderate fatigue after usual exercise.
• There may be a slight loss of body weight.
• Patients feel well and can do their usual activities.
• There are no changes in the study of myocardial function.

Second, or stage of organic change

1. Constant discomfort and (or) moderate pain in the left side of the chest. When performing physical activity or psycho-emotional stress, the pain intensifies and persists from several hours to weeks.
2. There is no reduction in pain when using Nitroglycerin, but there is from Validol.
3. Increasing fatigue, which does not allow you to carry out your usual activities.
4. Feeling of increased heartbeat and (or) pulse irregularities (interruptions).
5. Difficulty breathing (shortness of breath) during exercise.
6. Often, against the background of pain, there is an increase in pressure.
7. Changes appear during a heart examination.

Third, or stage of heart failure

• Shortness of breath, sharply worsening when lying down. In the extreme stage, patients can only sleep lying down.
• Severe weakness, progressive fatigue from any work.
• Inability to perform usual activities and physical activities.
• Loss of body weight.
• Increased heart rate.
• Violation of the rhythm of myocardial contractions.
• Swelling of the feet and legs.
• Moist wheezing in the lungs when breathing.
• Significant changes in research.

Symptoms of myocardial dystrophy

As a rule, the entire clinical picture in the early stages of the disease is not centered around changes occurring in the heart, but is determined by the underlying disease. Since the causes of the disease are varied, the symptom complex is also different and completely nonspecific.

Usually at the initial stage of the disease there are no pathological signs at all, or increased fatigue and tiredness appear. Some people may experience increased heart rate and shortness of breath during exercise.

Subsequently, as myocardial dystrophy progresses, the functions of part of the heart or the entire organ are disrupted, and it is the severity and localization of these disorders that determine the existing symptoms and complications. The clinical picture may include the following components:

• different types of arrhythmia;
• complete or incomplete heart block;
• changes in heart rhythms diagnosed by ECG;
• pain in the heart area - cardialgia.

As a rule, signs of functional heart failure appear in the later stages, but with intoxication with cardiac glycosides, poisons, or severe overexertion, they can develop already at the very beginning of the disease.

There are some distinctive symptoms in different forms of myocardial dystrophy. Thus, with vitamin deficiencies and lack of protein, pallor, decreased body temperature, dizziness, cold feet and hands, fainting, high fatigue, and muscle weakness appear early.

The patient's blood pressure and pulse drop, and bradycardia is observed. With severe vitamin deficiency, for example, with scurvy, even cases of sudden death are possible, there are symptoms of congestive heart failure, shortness of breath, enlarged liver, swelling of the neck veins.

All clinical manifestations of myocardial dystrophy are based on disturbances in cardiohemodynamics caused by a moderate or pronounced decrease in the contractile function of the heart. The most typical complaints of a patient suffering from myocardial dystrophy are a feeling of aching pain in the projection of the location of the heart, a feeling of discomfort and interruptions in the rhythm of cardiac activity, which are short-term in nature and are not accompanied by a significant impairment of the person’s ability to work.

Nonspecific complaints caused by impaired blood flow to the brain structures are headaches, inability to perform usual physical activity, periodic episodes of dizziness and drowsiness.

This clinical symptom complex is observed in all variants of myocardial dystrophy, however, each etiopathogenetic variant of this cardiac pathology is characterized by the development of specific manifestations.

Symptoms of myocardial dystrophy may be hidden by signs of the underlying disease that led to this pathology. The following symptoms are identified:

• increased fatigue, lethargy, weakness;
• shortness of breath with minor physical exertion;
• interruptions in the functioning of the heart, heart pain, rapid heartbeat;
• nonspecific changes are visible on the ECG;

Symptoms of myocardial dystrophy, which is caused by thyrotoxicosis, are increased blood pressure, arrhythmia, and tachycardia.

If the disease began as a result of anemia, the patient can hear a characteristic murmur over the pulmonary artery and the apex of the lung.

If myocardial dystrophy of the heart appears in a patient with mexidema (inflammatory damage to the thyroid gland), shortness of breath, hypotension, muffled heart sounds, signs of heart failure, and a decrease in pulse rate are observed.

If myocardial dystrophy is associated with alcohol poisoning of the body, heart failure, tachycardia, rapid heartbeat, and an increase in heart size appear.

With hormonal dystrophy, autonomic symptoms are simultaneously present: sweating, hot flashes, cold hands and feet, dizziness, fatigue, inability to take a deep breath, mood swings.

Myocardial dystrophy with thyrotoxicosis

This type of pathology can be attributed to dishormonal myocardial dystrophy. But clinical manifestations and structural changes of this type are also characteristic of such a type as neuroendocrine myocardial dystrophy. High levels of thyroid hormones lead to disruption of the regulation and automaticity of the heart. Often this pathology leads to loss of performance.

Sinus tachycardia (increased heart rate) comes to the fore. Its difference from other types of tachycardia is its constancy; it does not decrease during sleep. Atrial fibrillation, angina pectoris and other signs of chronic heart failure are also detected. Arterial hypertension is a constant companion of thyrotoxicosis.

The diagnostic value is provided by the level of thyroid hormones. Ultrasound, computed tomography, MRI and other non-invasive methods for examining the thyroid gland. If necessary, examination of the pituitary gland. Electrocardiography and echocardiography make it possible to determine the functional state of the heart muscle, as well as evaluate its compensatory resource.

Treatment should be carried out jointly by endocrinologists and cardiologists. Eliminating the cause of thyrotoxicosis is the main task. In parallel, correction of arterial hypertension and symptoms of chronic heart failure is carried out. Cases of flicker and fibrillation should be treated with caution.

Classification

A separate classification of myocardial dystrophy was proposed by S.S. Ostropolets in 1991. It is based on an etiological principle. That is, depending on the main cause of the disease. This list looks like this:

1. toxic myocardial dystrophy (infectious foci - tonsillogenic, poisoning, including alcoholic myocardial dystrophy);
2. dismetabolic myocardial dystrophy;
3. neurovegetative;
4. dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy;
5. allergic;
6. hyperfunctional;
7. myocardial dystrophy of mixed origin.

This group of diseases is also divided depending on the duration of the course. If the process lasts up to 1 month, this is a transient form. In case of delay for up to one year, it is defined as persistent myocardial dystrophy of the heart, which cannot be omitted. When the disease remains for years, it should be considered chronic myocardial dystrophy.

Preventive measures

Prevention is aimed at the complete elimination of the provoking factors of myocardial dystrophy: smoking and alcohol. Treatment of inflammatory diseases prevents the development of many secondary complications. The main danger is tonsillitis, which provokes the development of serious diseases that require hospital treatment.

A high-quality food composition, including all useful vitamins and microelements, strengthens the heart and improves cellular metabolism. Particular attention should be paid to the health of schoolchildren, since daily increased stress can harm the child’s health.

When working at industrial enterprises and chemical plants, employers must provide workers with personal protective equipment that will protect the body from inhaling harmful and caustic substances.

Thus, myocardial dystrophy belongs to the category of serious heart diseases.

https://youtu.be/lZO7zj4BWrA

Early detection of heart disease allows you to block the development of further consequences and the occurrence of serious pathologies.

Causes of pathology

Factors that lead to dystrophy in the structure of the myocardium are divided into external and internal. They equally inhibit metabolism and energy exchange in this muscle. Chronic consumption of alcohol, medications, and various industrial emissions that pollute the air contribute to the gradual degeneration of the heart.

Physical agents are also considered unfavorable. They mean vibration and radiation. Cardiomyodystrophy is sometimes a natural result of long-term dysfunction of the thyroid gland, when it produces hormones in insufficient or excessive quantities.

Myocardial dystrophy is rare among young children. But still, sometimes it is found in this category of patients. In this case, the disease may be caused by infection during the prenatal period or early encephalopathy. Cardiac disease is a common occurrence among athletes when they subject themselves to intense training. As a result of excessive impact on the myocardium, its overstrain is noted.

Unfavorable external factors can affect metabolic processes in heart cells, leading to disruptions in protein metabolism. The muscles can no longer contract normally and lead to symptoms of heart failure and conduction disturbances. If the etiological factor is accurately detected and eliminated, then, depending on the stage of the disease, regression will be achieved. But if it affects the body for a long time, some of the heart cells are no longer restored. Instead, a patch of scar tissue forms. This phenomenon is called cardiosclerosis.

What is myocardial dystrophy of the heart

In cardiology, there is a heart disease that occurs due to disturbances in the body's metabolic processes and leads to a decrease in the synthesis of energy in the myocardium. This disease was given a name - myocardial dystrophy. So, what is cardiac myocardial dystrophy?

Read also: First aid for pulmonary edema

Types of cardiac dystrophy are usually classified depending on the results of deviations and the reasons causing the disease.

Types of myocardial dystrophy of the heart:

• Hypertrophy - leads to thickening of the muscle layer;
• Restrictive - narrowing of the chambers of the heart;
• Dilation - cavity expansion and proliferation.
• According to the factors leading to violations, there are:
• Primary – the cause of the disease has not been found;
• Secondary - is a consequence of another disease.

Normal heart and hypertrophied
Symptoms of myocardial dystrophy in the heart of the secondary type are directly dependent on the disease that provoked it.

Based on this, it is customary to classify secondary dystrophy as follows:

• Tonsillogenic – a development factor is chronic tonsillitis. Symptoms are purulent inflammation of the throat, acute respiratory infections, hence the patient feels a feeling of weakness, tingling of the heart muscle, and irregular heart rhythm.
• Dishormonal - is the result of hormonal imbalance, which leads to fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritability, unwillingness to eat, etc.
• Alcoholic – occurs due to alcoholism and is characterized by symptoms of shortness of breath and heart rhythm disturbances.
• Dysmetabolic – is a consequence of diabetes and manifests itself as pain in the heart area.
• Anemic - is the result of anemia, excessive blood loss, which causes shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, heart rhythm disturbances, and aching heart pain.

Heart rhythm disturbance is one of the symptoms of myocardial dystrophy

However, despite the main signs, the final conclusion will be given by a specialist only based on the results of a full examination.

The stages of myocardial dystrophy are divided into three types:

• First , using an electrocardiogram, only myocardial hypertrophy is detected, while the patient suffers from shortness of breath due to fatigue;
• Second , certain changes are visible using an electrocardiogram; after exercise, the patient complains of swelling, heart rhythm disturbances, and pain in the heart;
• Third , heart failure occurs and all the symptoms associated with it.

Myocardial dystrophy in children is often associated with androgynous changes.

The causes of the development of the disease in young children are:

• unbalanced diet;
• lack of vitamin D3 and calcium in the body;
• frequent child pain;
• heavy physical and psychological workload;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• some pathological processes;
• taking certain types of medications.

At the first symptoms of the disease, you should consult a doctor.

Good prevention of myocardial dystrophy

Methods for treating damaged myocardium

With myocardial dystrophy, symptoms are of great importance, since treatment must be adequate. After identifying the cause of the disease called “myocardial dystrophy,” the patient undergoes treatment in a hospital setting. The complex is usually quite complex and consists of the following stages:

• treatment of the underlying pathology that provoked MCD;
• metabolic therapy;
• symptomatic therapy.

The course of treatment is prescribed not only by the attending cardiologist. This is a whole medical council, which includes:

• hematologist;
• otolaryngologist;
• urologist;
• gynecologist;
• rheumatologist;
• endocrinologist

Patients are recommended to have a gentle diet, complete abstinence from bad habits and physical activity. It is also necessary to exclude possible contact with household chemicals. Important! Only stage 3 myocardial dystrophy is dangerous with irreversible consequences. Therapy involves the inclusion of:

• vitamin complex;
• a range of medications,
• potassium,
• magnesium,
• anabolic steroids and many others responsible for metabolism and nutrition of the heart muscle.

If heart failure is detected, glycosides, diuretics, and antiarrhythmic drugs are prescribed. If the cause of the pathology is designated as climacteric myocardial dystrophy, then HRT, antihypertensive, and sedative drugs will be prescribed.

In modern clinics, treatment of myocardial dystrophy is aimed at quickly normalizing metabolism. Doctors also strive to heal the underlying disease and improve the supply of nutrients to the heart. Dystrophic changes in the myocardium are eliminated through metabolic drugs.

Here is an approximate list of medications that may be prescribed to you (depending on the underlying disease):

1. Beta-blockers (Anaprilin) ​​- reduce the rate of heart contractions, reduce the load on the heart muscle.
2. Stimulants of metabolic processes (Mildronat, Riboxin) - normalize metabolic processes, redistribute blood flow.
3. Drugs that reduce blood clotting (for example, Teonicol) enhance redox processes.
4. Derivatives of magnesium, calcium and potassium (calcium ascorbic acid, Asparkam) - restore electrolytic balance.

Hospitalization for MCD is extremely rare. All the drugs described above can be used at home under the supervision of a doctor. Of course, if the case is advanced, you may be admitted to the hospital. Such cases include shortness of breath at rest, serious arrhythmia, pasty edema of the extremities (persistent).

MCD of mixed origin is treated with stem cells. In the first stage of treatment, cells are removed from the body. At the second stage, the most viable cells are selected. The selected material is cultivated and again “migrates” into our body.

In medicine there is a concept of “irreversible changes”. This term means that at a certain stage of the disease the body cannot be restored.

Adequate therapy and timely treatment are the key to a quick recovery. Myocardial dystrophy in the advanced phase will lead to heart failure and myocardiosclerosis.

It is necessary to completely give up alcohol, not overload yourself in training, eliminate infectious foci and deal with professional “hazards”. If it comes to treatment, repeated drug courses are prescribed every two to three years.

Myocardial dystrophy in children

In childhood, myocardial dystrophy more often occurs against the background of infectious processes, but it can also be provoked by pathological abnormalities in the functioning of the endocrine system. A feature of the clinical picture is the rapid progression of symptoms and severe course, which is associated with a high need for tissue nutrition with blood.

Children are more sensitive to a lack of blood supply, so if the heart muscle is weak, their growth and development slow down. Main signs: increased fatigue during physical activity, shortness of breath, rapid pulse.

Diagnosis of pathology

When examining patients, you can identify signs characteristic of endocrine pathology:

• the boundaries of the heart are not expanded;
• when listening to tones – weakening of heart sounds;
• irregular rhythm;
• systolic murmur.

Data from instrumental methods help clarify the diagnosis. Characteristic changes:

• EGC: arrhythmia, low amplitude of waves.
• EchoCG: changes only in late stages, enlarged cavities, thickened walls.
• Scintigraphy: defect in filling the heart muscle with blood, expansion of the heart chambers.
• PhonoCG: noise during heart contraction at the apex and base, weak tones.

ECG for dishormonal cardiomyopathy: diffuse changes in the final part of the ventricular complex in the form of the formation of a negative wave T 1, 2, 3, aVF. V1-V2 and two-phase T wave V3-V4.

Life with myocardial dystrophy

His future fate and the progression of heart pathology will depend on how much a person is able to pull himself together and begin to lead a correct lifestyle.

Nutrition rules

Dietary food should provide a sufficient amount of animal and vegetable protein, as well as vitamins, potassium and magnesium salts. To do this, you need to use the following food products in the menu:

• lean meat of chicken, turkey, rabbit, liver;
• boiled and stewed fish, seafood;
• milk, kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt;
• buckwheat and oatmeal;
• fresh fruits and berries, homemade juices;
• dried fruits, honey;
• baked potatoes, bananas, apricots, nuts;
• legumes, vegetable salads, fresh herbs.

It is better to eat food in small portions 4 - 5 times a day. Cooking methods: boiling, baking and stewing. Fatty, fried and spicy foods should be avoided. For symptoms of heart failure (shortness of breath, tachycardia) and high blood pressure, limit salt to 3 g and fluid intake to 1.2 liters.

Daily regime

For such patients, a gentle regimen is recommended, with limited physical and emotional stress. You need to sleep at least 8 hours at night, during the day, in the afternoon, the duration of rest should be 1 - 2 hours. If there are signs of cardiac decompensation, bed rest is prescribed. Meals, exercise and rest should be on a schedule, at the same time every day.

Physical exercise

When the condition has stabilized, therapeutic exercises, long walks at an average pace, and breathing exercises are prescribed. Yoga, swimming, Pilates are useful; their duration is from 20 to 40 minutes a day, frequency is 3-4 times a week. For patients with myocardial dystrophy, grueling workouts, heart rate increases above 110 beats per minute, heavy lifting (weights, barbells), and participation in competitions should be avoided.

Watch this video about breathing exercises for children:

https://youtu.be/R1vZIi3CB0I

Do they take you into the army?

If a conscript is diagnosed with myocardial dystrophy, he is given a deferment from conscription for additional examination for 3 to 6 months. Based on the diagnostic results (using stress tests), a conclusion is made about further service:

• After physical exercise there are no disturbances in cardiac activity - suitable, but with minor restrictions.
• Tests show signs of insufficient myocardial function - he is considered unfit for combat service.

We recommend reading about dilated cardiomyopathy. You will learn about the forms of cardiomyopathy, the epidemiology of the disease, the causes and symptoms of DCM, diagnosis and treatment. And here is more information about how to cope with shortness of breath in heart failure.

Forecast and prevention of myocardial dystrophy

The reversibility of myocardial changes in myocardial dystrophy depends on the timeliness and adequacy of treatment of the underlying disease. The outcome of long-term myocardial dystrophy is myocardiosclerosis and heart failure.

Prevention of myocardial dystrophy is based on the elimination of current diseases, taking into account age and physical fitness when playing sports, avoiding alcohol, eliminating occupational hazards, good nutrition, and mandatory sanitation of foci of infection. Repeated drug courses of cardiotrophic therapy 2–3 times a year are recommended.

Treatment of pathology

When determining myocardial dystrophy, treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause, normalizing metabolism, and restoring damaged tissue. The approach to therapy is comprehensive, not allowing for alternative medicine methods. Drug treatment includes taking the following medications:

1. “Asparkam”, “Mildronat” are stimulants of metabolism in cells, containing potassium or magnesium. They promote better absorption of oxygen, its distribution along with the blood flow to all internal organs, and the healing of areas of deformation. These drugs prevent the accumulation of free radicals and relieve pain.
2. "Anaprilin", "Riboxin", beta-blockers of the sympathetic system. The drug prevents adrenaline from stimulating frequent muscle contractions, preventing dystrophy.
3. "Dipyridamole", "Teonikol" reduce blood clotting by improving phosphohydrolysis and the oxidative reaction in cells. Medicines help enrich tissues with oxygen.
4. To regulate hydrolysis, calcium and magnesium are taken together with ascorbic acid.

If the form of the disease is in the third, irreversible phase, the introduction of stem cells has been recognized as an effective method of influencing the pathology. Biological material is collected from the patient using modern technologies, and strong (viable) cells are selected, which are then surgically attached to the lesions. As healthy cells grow, they replace atrophied ones.

Read also: Pulmonary edema in a ferret

The disease is not incurable. With timely diagnosis and correct therapy, functions are restored along with metabolic processes. A complication of the disease is the development of heart failure or myocardiosclerosis. To avoid relapses, it is necessary to periodically undergo routine examinations and courses of cardiotropic therapy (once every 6 months).

https://youtu.be/vMUQfrfXgS0

Beta blockers

Beta blockers are drugs that block beta adrenergic reactions.

The most significant effect of beta blockers occurs within the cardiovascular system. The answer is a negative inotropic, dromotropic and chronotropic effect on the heart. In other words, beta blockers:

• reduce heart rate;
• reduce the force of contractions;
• reduce the conductivity of the conducting system;
• reduce myocardial excitability.

When the heart rate slows down, oxygen consumption by the myocardium decreases while the secretion of renin in the kidneys decreases. When beta blockers are given short-term, they cause a decrease in cardiac output and an increase in peripheral resistance. On the other hand, the effect of long-term use is to reduce peripheral resistance.

How is MCD diagnosed?

Diagnosis begins with an objective examination of the heart area. The doctor's goal is to identify muffled heart sounds, pulse irregularity, systolic murmur, and attenuation at the apex of the first sound. In addition, a number of instrumental studies are being carried out. Here they are:

• ECG (shrinking waves, flattening of the T-wave, irregular heartbeats are monitored);
• Echocardiography (detects myocardial edema, dilation of the cardiac cavities, contractility dysfunction, diastolic/systolic dysfunction, decreased motor activity);
• Doppler echocardiography (determines signs of cardiac pathologies, changes in the volume and speed of blood circulation, measures the pressure inside the vessels and heart chambers);
• fluoroscopy (records left-sided growth of the heart, the presence of congestive processes inside the lungs, decreased cardiac pulsation);
• Nuclear MRI (notes enlarged cardiac chambers, asymmetric thickening of the cardiac walls, and diffuse myocardial lesions).

Read also: Classification of ventricular extrasystoles
Doctors often limit themselves to non-invasive studies, but in doubtful situations they may prescribe a biopsy. Pharmacological tests are also taken. Potassium chloride is injected into the patient's body, then the ECG machine is turned on.

The disease is diagnosed if, after an hour, abnormalities in the functioning of the heart are still observed.

Therapeutic measures

First of all, treatment of myocardial dystrophy is aimed at eliminating the main diseases that led to impaired myocardial function (anemia, thyrotoxicosis, vitamin deficiency).

If the cause of dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy was alcohol abuse, then alcohol should be excluded from consumption. For tonsillitis, sanitation of the source of inflammation is indicated. All patients with heart disease are prescribed bed rest, gentle treatment and treatment of symptoms of cardiac disease.

Cardiotonic drugs are prescribed to restore the rate and rhythm of heart contractions, as well as potassium supplements, which are administered intravenously and by drip. Vitamin therapy is carried out to eliminate the consequences of vitamin deficiency, in order to strengthen and improve myocardial tone. In addition, the following improve metabolism in myocardial cells: riboxin, anabolic steroids. Beta blockers are used to reduce the excitability of the heart muscle.

The use of sedatives (tincture of valerian, motherwort, novopassit) will eliminate stress and emotional overload and improve the condition of the nervous system.

In the presence of severe myocardial dystrophy with symptoms of heart failure, it is advisable to take cardiac glycosides.

Thus, only complex treatment for heart diseases leads to a positive effect.

Patients suffering from dishormonal myocardial dystrophy are advised to have the correct daily routine, alternating rest and exercise:

1. Sleep duration should be at least 8 hours. It is important to go to bed and get up at a set time. Daytime rest lasts about 2 hours.
2. Exercise at least 3-4 times a week for 25 minutes a day. The load should be moderate, since excessive fatigue will lead to the development of acute pathologies.
3. Bed rest is indicated for acute myocardial dystrophy of the heart.
4. Moving exercises during the day: swimming, cycling, leisurely walking about 2 km per day, exercises on simulators under the supervision of a trainer or specialist.
5. Physical activity is unacceptable if you have shortness of breath and dizziness. At the first sign of their appearance, you should take a break.
6. If possible, avoid sudden changes in temperature.
7. Physiological water procedures: contrast shower and bath with dissolved sea salt.
8. Massage courses help in the treatment of swelling of the limbs.
9. Lack of stress and emotional stress.
10. Eliminate alcohol and smoking from your life.

Determine special dietary rules:

• maximum restriction of table salt consumption (3 g);
• the liquid to be consumed per day is 1.5 liters;
• reducing the number of calories;
• taking multivitamins and fiber-rich foods.

Products that require exclusion from the diet include strong teas and coffee, fatty broths, fatty meats, spicy and smoked foods.

By following simple rules, you can achieve complete regression of symptoms and complaints about cardiac dysfunction.

Why does the disease appear?

Dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy occurs against the background of hormonal pathology or hereditary metabolic diseases, with insufficient intake of proteins, microelements and vitamins, and amyloidosis.
Under the influence of these factors, the formation of energy in the muscle fibers of the heart is disrupted, and their contractile function weakens. The underlying disease is treated and medications are prescribed to strengthen the myocardium. Doctors say that the list of reasons that cause metabolic problems is very long. Here are some of them:

1. Poor cardiac nutrition, as a result of which cells lack oxygen.
2. Stress leading to excessive production of adrenaline and increased cardiac output.
3. Heavy loads.
4. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a lack of nutrients.
5. Poor nutrition, accompanied by pathologies in the electrolyte balance.
6. Metabolic failures causing changes in the heart.
7. Increased hormonal levels, which leads to increased contractions of the heart muscle. And this process significantly depletes the myocardium.
8. Intoxication of the body, damaging cells.
9. In newborns, myocardial dystrophy occurs due to oxygen starvation of the fetus, infections developing in the womb or the occurrence of perinatal encephalopathy.

General information about the disease

The name of pathology was approved in the 30s of the nineteenth century after the introduction of the term by Professor G. F. Lang. Myocardial dystrophy is characterized as the effect on the heart muscle of a non-inflammatory process formed against the background of metabolic disorders. In other words, the cause of degeneration is the influence of extracardiac factors.

With correct treatment, abnormal changes are reversible. Untimely detection of the disease leads to disruption of the functioning of the main organ. With a long course, the consequences are serious in the form of heart failure. The disease develops both in childhood and in old age. In 60% of cases, dysmetabolic myocardial dystrophy occurs after 40 years of age, when:

• changes in hormonal levels, making the heart unprotected from the effects of adrenaline and leading to muscle wasting;
• decreased conductivity of impulses due to an insufficient number of cardiomyocytes in the cell;
• weak tone, promoting the accumulation and release of free radicals;
• increased levels of calcium in the body, resulting from an inability to absorb all the oxygen supplied. An excess of gas mixture causes malnutrition and relaxation of fibrillar tissue.

Clinical forms

If the level of hemoglobin in the blood drops to 80 g/l, disturbances occur in the myocardium. A person experiences symptoms of hypoxia, provoked by a lack of energy in the myocardial tissue. Anemic myocardial dystrophy is found in iron deficiency anemia, sometimes in hemolytic anemia. Distinctive features of the condition are:

• pale skin;
• increased pulsation in the area of ​​the carotid artery;
• dyspnea;
• dizziness.

When listening to a specialist, expanded borders of the heart and systolic murmurs above the apex are detected. Heart sounds are loud. All this allows the specialist to suspect developing cardiac dystrophy.

If anemia continues for many years, a person should visit a cardiologist and undergo an ECG. If the treatment was chosen incorrectly, the result may be the same degeneration of heart tissue.

Damage due to thyrotoxicosis

Sometimes the thyroid gland secretes too much thyroid hormone. They, in turn, inhibit the production of creatine phosphate. The synthesis of adenosine triphosphoric acid is also limited. The compounds are responsible for sufficient energy supply to the myocardium. When there are not enough of them, protein metabolism also suffers. At the same time, thyroid hormones tone the sympathetic nervous system. This leads to an increase in the volume of blood pumped per minute, the heart rate, and the speed of blood flow in general. All this together provokes dyshormonal myocardial dystrophy.

A distinctive feature of dystrophy in thyrotoxicosis is the addition of arrhythmia. The longer the patient ignores thyrotoxicosis, the more circulatory failure progresses. It occurs according to the right ventricular type. This means that a person experiences swelling of the skin, pain in the projection of the heart, and an increase in the size of the liver. Sometimes the predominant signs are symptoms of myocardial dystrophy. For this reason, patients initially go to a cardiologist. Only after a thorough examination are they referred to an endocrinologist.

Decreased thyroid function

The pathogenesis of myocardial dystrophy is based on a lack of thyroid-stimulating hormone, which inhibits metabolism in myocardial tissue. The result is an increase in blood vessel permeability. At the same time, the sodium content in the blood increases, while there is not enough potassium. With myocardial dystrophy caused by a lack of thyroid hormones, the following are noted:

• heart rhythm failure;
• aching chest pain;
• fatigue.

After examination, a blockage is detected - ventricular or atrioventricular.

Exposure to alcohol and toxins

If a person takes from 80 to 100 ml of drinks containing ethyl alcohol daily, after 10 years he will develop myocardial dystrophy. But these terms can be reduced to 3 years if he has a family history. This may be reflected in a lack of enzymes that promote ethanol utilization. According to statistics, the alcoholic form of the disease occurs in men aged 20 to 50 years.

The disease can occur under the influence of toxic substances contained in glucocorticosteroids, a number of antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and sleeping pills. In this case, the disease is accompanied by pain. Sometimes neuroendocrine disorders are associated. Congestion is also diagnosed. A person feels aching or pressing pain. His feet are cold, he has sweating, fatigue, and headaches.

Another form, arrhythmic, entails rhythm disturbance, extrasystole and tachycardia. Sometimes several forms are combined with each other, and along with cardialgia (pain in the heart), a person suffers from arrhythmia. This is a mixed form of pathology. Congestion is expressed in the appearance of shortness of breath during exertion, swelling of the lower extremities, and coughing attacks.

Complications of tonsillitis

Myocardial damage occurs in 30% of patients with tonsillitis. This figure can reach higher levels if the pathology was treated late and without antibiotics. With tonsillogenic microcardiac dystrophy, there is an irregular pulse, complaints of fatigue and weakness, sweating, and joint pain.

To avoid such consequences, it is enough to take the entire range of medications prescribed by your doctor, including symptomatic ones. Manifestations of angina can have a destructive effect on the myocardium.

Physical stress

The situation when the myocardium is damaged after physical overexertion is typical mainly for athletes. Certain diseases, especially tonsillitis, can complicate the situation. There are several types of such myocardial dystrophy. But, regardless of the specific type, a person experiences almost similar symptoms:

• lack of interest in physical activities;
• weakness;
• Bad mood;
• fatigue.

Some patients complain of irregular heartbeats and a tingling sensation.

During menopause

Damage to myocardial tissue due to menopause is caused by hormonal processes occurring during this period. They occur in women between 45 and 50 years of age.

Patients complain of stabbing or pressing pain in the heart, spreading to the left arm. The so-called hot flashes only intensify the symptoms of the menopausal form of pathology. Patients indicate sweating and rapid heartbeat. Sometimes their blood pressure rises slightly.

Myocardial dystrophy in childhood

Myocardial dystrophy in children occurs due to many reasons. As a rule, in a child this is provoked by hereditary factors and unfavorable conditions of intrauterine development. The cause may be hormonal changes, anemia of various origins and many other factors. It is worth noting that in most cases, the pathology does not lead to irreversible structural changes in the child’s heart muscle.

Difficulties with diagnosis at an early age are associated with the inability of children to identify and express their complaints. Therefore, regular examination by a pediatrician will never be superfluous. Long-term heart problems interfere with the correct and harmonious development of the child, which can also become one of the symptoms. Treatment consists of eliminating the cause of the metabolic disorder in the child’s myocardium.