Randy Travis, 54, remained in critical condition Tuesday. (Photo: Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY)
The illness that has left country singer Randy Travis, 54, in critical condition is a serious heart problem with a variety of causes and a range of treatment options for patients,
Travis remained in critical condition Tuesday at a Texas hospital with complications from viral cardiomyopathy. He has had heart surgery, says his sister-in-law Teresa Traywick.
Cardiomyopathy may be caused by viral infections, coronary heart disease or diseases involving other organs. Sometimes, the cause of cardiomyopathy is unknown. As the disease worsens, it can lead to heart failure, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and heart valve problems, the heart association says.
Cardiomyopathy 'means a pathetic heart muscle,' says cardiologist Mariell Jessup, resident of the heart association and a heart-failure specialist. 'There are multiple kinds of cardiomyopathies, and part of the doctor's job right now is to find out what is wrong with his heart muscle.
'There are many things that they may be calling heart surgery, so it's difficult to know exactly what they are doing.
'With good treatment, many people with cardiomyopathy may go on to have a normally functioning life. But this is serious and could be life-threatening,' Jessup says.
Says cardiologist Gina Lundberg, an assistant professor at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta: 'There are a lot of viral cardiomyopathies, and the person may not even remember being sick. If a person has a cardiomyopathy, I tell them to stop drinking alcohol completely, make sure they have a healthy diet, avoid taking any herbal supplements, avoid intense exercise and do more low to moderate exercise and get plenty of rest.
'Many people will recover from this, but some never do, so they may need to be considered for a heart transplant.'
Some people who have cardiomyopathy have no signs or symptoms and need no treatment. For other people, the disease develops quickly, symptoms are severe and serious complications occur, the heart association says.
Some of the signs and symptoms include shortness of breath or trouble breathing, especially with physical exertion; fatigue (tiredness); and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen and veins in the neck, the heart association says.
Other signs and symptoms may include dizziness; lightheadedness; fainting during physical activity; arrhythmias; chest pain, especially after physical exertion or heavy meals; and heart murmurs. Heart murmurs are extra or unusual sounds during a heartbeat.
Treatments for cardiomyopathy include lifestyle changes, medicines, surgery, implanted devices to correct arrhythmias, and other nonsurgical procedures. The treatments can control symptoms, reduce complications and stop the disease from getting worse, the group says.
What causes cardiomyopathy?
Certain diseases, conditions or factors can raise people's risk for cardiomyopathy. Major risk factors include:
* A disease or condition that can lead to cardiomyopathy, such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, or a viral infection that inflames the heart muscle.
* Family history of cardiomyopathy, heart failure or sudden cardiac arrest.
* Diabetes or other metabolic diseases, or severe obesity.
* Diseases that can damage the heart, such as hemochromatosis, sarcoidosis or amyloidosis.
* Long-term alcoholism.
* Long-term high blood pressure.
