Cardiac amyloidosis overview


 * Associate Editor:

Overview
Cardiac amyloidosis is a well-known condition, which has been reported with varying incidence rates. Myocardial involvement results in severe dysfunction and is the leading cause of death in patients with amyloidosis. Systemic amyloidosis of AL and TTR type is often associated with amyloid deposition in heart valves, in addition to blood vessels and myocardium In this classical type of valvular amyloidosis are the deposits occur in previously unaltered valves.

There is also another type of cardiac amyloidosis restricted entirely to the heart valves and can be found in valves, surgically removed for chronic valvular disease. The deposits are small and restricted to the areas of scarring and calcification. The amyloid protein has not been identified but it has been demonstrated not to be AL or AA