Endomyocardial fibrosis is a progressive condition with an unknown cause that can have a significant impact on the heart. It is characterized by changes in the lining of the heart cavities (the endocardium) of one or both heart ventricles (lower heart chambers) which leads to the replacement of normal cells with fibrous tissue. This process results in the narrowing of one or both heart ventricles. This also may include the heart valves or the tendon-like cords that fix the valves to the ventricles. The majority of people who suffer from this condition are young females and children. Both right and left ventricles are affected in 50% of cases, 40% of cases involve the left ventricle only and 10% of cases involve the right ventricle only.
There are no specific symptoms of endomyocardial fibrosis in the early stage of the disease. The late-stage symptoms become clearer, and the disease becomes more recognizable.
Swelling of the legs
Enlargement of the spleen and liver
Nausea
Difficulty in breathing
Arrhythmia
The majority of endomyocardial fibrosis patients present late suffering from an advanced form of heart failure, weight loss, and chest pain.
The specific cause of endomyocardial fibrosis is unknown. There are some suggested causes like:
Infectious diseases
Inflammatory causes
Nutritional causes
Some chemical elements
Family history of the disease (an inherited condition)
Some immunological disorders
Echocardiography is the main diagnostic test for endomyocardial fibrosis. Other tests may include:
Electrocardiography
Chest X-ray
Lab tests
Angiography
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging
Symptomatic therapy may be useful. For patients with severe symptoms, cardiologists prefer surgical therapy.
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