Amyloidosis Of The Heart And Hypertrophic Right Ventricular

Amyloidosis of the heart is the accumulation of inappropriately folded proteins affecting functions of the heart muscle. Amyloid deposition in the heart can cause both diastolic and systolic heart failure. On echocardiography the heart shows restrictive filling pattern, with normal to mildly reduced systolic function. EKG changes may be present, showing low voltage and conduction abnormalities like atrioventricular block or sinus node dysfunction. Right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) is a condition where the muscle thickens around the right ventricle. It results from an increase in right ventricular workload, e.g., emphysema or pulmonary embolization. Right ventricular hypertrophy occurs mainly in lung disease or in congenital heart disease. The thicker heart muscle loses elasticity over time, causing the heart to work harder to effectively pump blood to the lungs, brain and the rest of the body. Typically, RVH isn’t identified until the condition is causing you to have symptoms, such as shortness of breath or swelling (edema), due to fluid build-up.