Cardiomyopathy: Treatment Goals

Transcript

I think when we talk about cardiomyopathy and conditions where the risk and progression of disease and the risk of death is high, obviously survival is paramount, and doing things to improve survival, such as certain medications that have been proven to improve survival, becomes essential. Devices such as ICDs that reduce the risk of arrhythmic sudden death are also very important. But from the patient perspective who likes to live longer, it is becoming more and more important that they live longer with less symptoms, less suffering. So addressing their symptoms is equally important on a day to day basis. So that’s why we have different therapies. Those that prolong survival alone, like ICDs, those that prolong survival and potentially improve symptoms, like certain medications, and those that only improve symptoms, like Dijoxin and Lasix, et cetera. But all of these are important from the patient’s perspective.