Alcohol can cause DCM because alcohol is cardiotoxic — it damages and destroys cardiac muscle through repeated exposure, and this leads to scarring (fibrosis) and weakening (cardiomyopathy) that in some cases is irreversible. Further, a significant proportion of individuals who are thought to have developed DCM due to alcohol toxicity actually have an underlying genetic mutation in a gene important for DCM. Thus, they were susceptible all along to DCM but may not have developed heart issues had their heart not been exposed repeatedly to the alcohol.

There is no magic number for how much alcohol an individual must have or how many years of heavy drinking an individual must have undertaken in order to develop DCM. Everyone is different. Therefore, it is best to limit alcohol as a general rule.

The life expectancy for a person with inherited (genetic) DCM varies. This is because without early diagnosis and treatment, the disease can lead to life-threatening complications including severe heart failure, loss of consciousness (syncope) and sudden death from ventricular arrhythmia. With early identification of a genetic mutation that increases the risk of inherited DCM, your health and the health of your family members can be protected long term.

As DCM can vary between people, even those within the same family, working with a service with experience and expert knowledge of DCM is integral. This allows them to better understand the mutations at work and how to most appropriately treat them. Genetic testing is also part of this, ensuring they have as much information as possible to provide appropriate treatment and management of DCM.

If you are able to catch DCM early and before it has severely affected your heart, it can be easily managed with minimal effect on your life expectancy.

DCM is a serious condition, as it can lead to life-threatening complications and death. However, once diagnosed and properly treated and managed, the risk of serious complications can be significantly reduced. Therefore, an early diagnosis is a key way to minimise the impact the condition has on your life.

There are many causes of DCM. 

• Alcohol misuse
• Illegal drug use, like cocaine and amphetamines
• Some cancer and chemotherapy medications
• Infections
• Complications in late-stage pregnancy or shortly after childbirth
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Thyroid disease
• Exposure to toxins like lead, mercury and cobalt
• Excessive iron in heart and/or organs (hemochromatosis)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
• Heart valve diseases like mitral valve or aortic valve regurgitation
• Genetic mutations

Dilated cardiomyopathy (or DCM) is a condition that affects your heart’s ventricles, causing them to weaken and become enlarged, impacting your heart’s ability to pump blood. It is a serious condition that requires immediate treatment and ongoing management. It may be genetic (inherited) and members of your family could be at risk of DCM.