Abstract

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy refers to a group of heterogenous myocardial disorders characterized by ventricular dilation and depressed myocardial contractility in the absence of abnormal loading conditions i.e. hypertension and valvular heart disease.

Aims & Objectives: To study the clinical profile ECG and echocardiographic abnormalities and to determine the aetiology of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Study Design: Prospective cross sectional observational study.

Material & Methods: Fifty newly diagnosed cases of dilated cardiomyopathy admitted to the department of cardiology of SCB Medical College, Cuttack over a period of one year from 01.04.2017 to 30.03.2018 were evaluated clinically and with ECG and echocardiography.

Statistical Analysis: Was done with percentage proportions, chi square test and corrections. The level of significance was set at P<0.05.

Results: Dilated cardiomyopathy was more common in middle aged and elderly population. Males were more commonly affected than females. Dysponea was the commonest symptom followed by fatiguability. The most common ECG abnormality was sinus tathycardia followed by ventricular ectopic. Commonest presentation was ischaemic cardiomyopathy (40%) followed by idiopathic DCMP (28%), diabetic cardiomyopathy (20%) and peripartum cardiomyopathy (8%).

Conclusion: DCMP is a commonly encountered clinical entity in heart failure patients. Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP) is the commonest among all DCMP patients followed by idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Biventricular failure was the commonest presentation and commonest ECG abnormalities were sinus tachycardia and ventricular ectopics.

Keywords: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP), ischemia cardiomyopathy (ICMP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).