Key Information
Overview
Cardiac amyloidosis is a condition in which abnormal proteins, called amyloid, build up inside the heart tissue. These deposits make the heart muscle thicker and stiffer, so it becomes harder for the heart to fill and pump blood effectively. Over time, this can lead to symptoms that resemble heart failureexternal link, opens in a new tab and other heart conditions.
The condition is not a single disease. It is a heart manifestation of different types of amyloidosis, and the exact treatment depends on which protein is involved. The two major forms affecting the heart are light-chain (AL) amyloidosis and transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis. ATTR may be inherited or may develop with aging.
Because its symptoms can be subtle at first, cardiac amyloidosis is sometimes mistaken for more common causes of thickened heart muscle, high blood pressure, or age-related heart disease. Greater awareness of the early clues has improved detection. When diagnosed early, patients may benefit from therapies that relieve symptoms and, in some cases, slow or target the disease process itself.