Key Signs Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Issues With The Heart

Issues with the heart are a key part of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. As mentioned, in patients with this condition, the body doesn't create the protein dystrophin, an essential part of the heart and skeletal muscles. Patients with dystrophin-based diseases often develop dilated cardiomyopathy, which leads to heart failure. Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart loses the ability to pump blood. The main pumping chamber in the heart, the left ventricle, becomes weakened and enlarged. In certain cases, this keeps the heart from filling with blood and relaxing properly. As time goes by, the condition can also affect the other chambers of the heart.

Learn more about the key signs of Duchenne muscular dystrophy now.