Specific dilated myocardiopathy. Chronic chagasic cardiopathy at the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chávez

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogenous group of heart ailments. Some of them are primary myocardial diseases and are classified as dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive and arryhithmogenic. Dilated cardiomyopathies (DCs) are the most common. Sometimes it is possible to identify an etiologic agent, in that case we talk about a specific dilated cardiomyopathy. Here in, we review one of these specific DCs, the so called Chronic Chagasic Cardiopathy (CCC) from the point of view of our personal experience at the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez". Chagas' disease is present in Mexico, therefore CCC is also present. We estimate that 5,000 people, suffer CCC with severe symptoms. In Mexico, Chagas' disease occurs below the Tropic of Cancer and between 2,000-2,500 m above sea level, in this area there is a real risk for vectorial infection, mainly in rural villages. Clinical diagnosis should be supported by epidemiological and seroepidemiological confirmatory data. There is not appropriate therapy yet for this condition.