Signs Of Cardiomyopathy

Nausea

There are several reasons why nausea can develop in cardiomyopathy patients. All forms of cardiomyopathy cause a reduced amount of blood flow to the organs that make up the gastrointestinal tract. Reduced blood flow to the muscles that move food through the digestive tract can cause it to stagnate in the stomach or intestines for too long. When food moves through the digestive tract too slowly, bacteria can overgrow. The bacterial overgrowth in the intestines causes nausea because the byproducts of bacterial breakdown of food are toxic. The decreased production of stomach acid and other digestive enzymes can also cause nausea by allowing bacterial overgrowth. Fluid retention caused by cardiomyopathy can result in nausea when excessive pressure is placed on the organs of a patient's digestive tract. Cardiomyopathy can also alter the amount of oxygen provided to certain brain tissues and cause nausea if the nausea center in the brain is affected.