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Heart Disease In The News New form of heart failure recognized in elderly
patients An article in the American Journal of Cardiology suggests that a "new" form of heart failure in elderly patients may be much more common than previously recognized. Most heart failure is caused by a dilated cardiomyopathy - a weakness of the heart muscle that leads to an enlarged, "flabby," heart. A second, less common form of heart muscle disease is the so-called restrictive cardiomyopathy, where the heart muscle becomes stiffened, and is unable to fill properly with blood. Because the heart is incompletely filled, the amount of blood being pumped by the heart drops. This new study shows that restrictive cardiomyopathy in elderly patients is far more common than previously believed. Further, its cause is not understood - nor is its treatment. Thanks to this new study, new research into the causes and treatment of restrictive cardiomyopathy in the elderly are being started. |
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