Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac Amyloidosis

Cardiac amyloidosis is increasingly recognized as an underlying cause of left ventricular wall thickening, heart failure, and arrhythmia with variable clinical presentation. Due to the subtle cardiac findings in early transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis and the availability of therapies that can modif...

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Main Authors: Sajan S. Gill, Eric Fellin, Lisa Stampke, Yuanzi Zhao, Ahmad Masri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center 2022-03-01
Series:Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal
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Online Access:https://account.journal.houstonmethodist.org/index.php/up-j-mdbcj/article/view/1061
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author Sajan S. Gill
Eric Fellin
Lisa Stampke
Yuanzi Zhao
Ahmad Masri
author_facet Sajan S. Gill
Eric Fellin
Lisa Stampke
Yuanzi Zhao
Ahmad Masri
author_sort Sajan S. Gill
collection DOAJ
description Cardiac amyloidosis is increasingly recognized as an underlying cause of left ventricular wall thickening, heart failure, and arrhythmia with variable clinical presentation. Due to the subtle cardiac findings in early transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis and the availability of therapies that can modify but not reverse the disease progression, early recognition is vital. In light chain amyloidosis, timely diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve survival. In this manuscript, we review the clinical, imaging, and electrocardiographic clues that should raise suspicion for cardiac amyloidosis and provide a simplified diagnostic workup algorithm that ensures an accurate diagnosis. The evolution of the noninvasive diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis has significantly influenced our understanding of disease prevalence, presentations, and outcomes. However, clinical recognition of clues and red flags remains the most important factor in advancing the care of patients with cardiac amyloidosis.
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publisher Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center
record_format Article
series Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal
spelling doaj-art-2a1e0874492948a4b5647705d7d08c7a2025-08-20T02:33:23ZengHouston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular CenterMethodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal1947-61082022-03-01182364610.14797/mdcvj.1061398Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac AmyloidosisSajan S. Gill0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9156-7103Eric Fellin1Lisa Stampke2Yuanzi Zhao3Ahmad Masri4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6390-6526Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OregonOregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OregonOregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OregonKnight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OregonKnight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OregonCardiac amyloidosis is increasingly recognized as an underlying cause of left ventricular wall thickening, heart failure, and arrhythmia with variable clinical presentation. Due to the subtle cardiac findings in early transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis and the availability of therapies that can modify but not reverse the disease progression, early recognition is vital. In light chain amyloidosis, timely diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve survival. In this manuscript, we review the clinical, imaging, and electrocardiographic clues that should raise suspicion for cardiac amyloidosis and provide a simplified diagnostic workup algorithm that ensures an accurate diagnosis. The evolution of the noninvasive diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis has significantly influenced our understanding of disease prevalence, presentations, and outcomes. However, clinical recognition of clues and red flags remains the most important factor in advancing the care of patients with cardiac amyloidosis.https://account.journal.houstonmethodist.org/index.php/up-j-mdbcj/article/view/1061cardiac amyloidosissystemic amyloidosisimmunoglobulin light chaintransthyretinleft ventricular hypertrophyheart failureaortic stenosisbone scintigraphycardiac magnetic resonance imagingendomyocardial biopsy
spellingShingle Sajan S. Gill
Eric Fellin
Lisa Stampke
Yuanzi Zhao
Ahmad Masri
Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac Amyloidosis
Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal
cardiac amyloidosis
systemic amyloidosis
immunoglobulin light chain
transthyretin
left ventricular hypertrophy
heart failure
aortic stenosis
bone scintigraphy
cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
endomyocardial biopsy
title Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac Amyloidosis
title_full Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac Amyloidosis
title_fullStr Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac Amyloidosis
title_full_unstemmed Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac Amyloidosis
title_short Clinical Clues and Diagnostic Workup of Cardiac Amyloidosis
title_sort clinical clues and diagnostic workup of cardiac amyloidosis
topic cardiac amyloidosis
systemic amyloidosis
immunoglobulin light chain
transthyretin
left ventricular hypertrophy
heart failure
aortic stenosis
bone scintigraphy
cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
endomyocardial biopsy
url https://account.journal.houstonmethodist.org/index.php/up-j-mdbcj/article/view/1061
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