Cardiomyopathy is best described as

• A. A chronic disease where the heart muscle is enlarged, thickened, or stiffened leading to dysfunction.
• B. A congenital defect of the heart valves.
• C. Inflammation of the arteries causing chest pain.
• D. A narrowing of the coronary arteries due to atherosclerosis.

Answer: (D)

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle itself that impairs the heart’s ability to pump. It can involve the muscle becoming enlarged (dilated), thickened (hypertrophic), or stiffened (restrictive), leading to dysfunction and heart failure symptoms. This matches the description of a chronic disease where the heart muscle is enlarged, thickened, or stiffened leading to dysfunction. The other options describe problems unrelated to the myocardium: valvular defects affect the heart valves, inflammation of arteries refers to vasculitis, and narrowing of the coronary arteries due to atherosclerosis is coronary artery disease.