Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

What is Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)?

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, or ARVC, is a type of cardiomyopathy that affects the lower pumping chambers of the heart and causes abnormal heart rhythms.
ARVC is sometimes called arrhythmic cardiomyopathy as the main symptoms are arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).

What are the symptoms of ARVC?

Some of the symptoms are related to the electrical activity of the heart as well as the structure of the heart and how well it pumps.

Symptoms can include the following:

Palpitations (feeling your heart beating too fast, too hard or like it is ‘fluttering’) – this is caused by abnormal heart rhythms.
Light-headedness and fainting (loss of consciousness) – reduced oxygen levels or blood flow to the brain can be caused by abnormal heart rhythms.
Swollen legs, ankles and tummy – as the heart isn’t pumping effectively.
Breathlessness – as fluid builds up around the lungs.

How is ARVC diagnosed?

ARVC can be difficult to diagnose as the changes in the heart can be subtle and the fat deposits can be hard to see. The heart chambers can become enlarged, meaning that it is sometimes misdiagnosed as dilated cardiomyopathy.

Medical history – to look at symptoms and whether other family members have this condition (as it can be genetic).
Physical exam – to see what physical symptoms, if any, are happening.
ECG (electrocardiogram) – this looks at the electrical activity of the heart and whether abnormal heart rhythms are happening.

How is ARVC treated and managed?

Although there is no cure for ARVC, treatments are used to reduce and control symptoms, and reduce the risk of complications. Treatment focuses on improving the pumping of the heart and controlling abnormal heart rhythms.

Treatments include medication, implantable devices, surgery and lifestyle management.

Heart with ARVC

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Karen Taylor

"My story goes back nearly 25 years to 1992 when I was 23 and I had started to notice my heart doing strange things. I was quite fit so my very fast...

Key definitions

ECG (electrocardiogram)
Electrocardiography is the process of producing an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG[a]). It is a graph of voltage versus time of the electrical activity of the heart[4] using electrodes placed on the skin. These electrodes detect the small electrical changes that are a consequence of cardiac muscle depolarization followed by repolarization during each cardiac cycle (heartbeat). Changes in the normal ECG pattern occur in numerous cardiac abnormalities, including cardiac rhythm disturbances (such as atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia), inadequate coronary artery blood flow (such as myocardial ischemia and myocardial infarction), and electrolyte disturbances (such as hypokalemia and hyperkalemia).
Arrhythmias
A general term for abnormal heart rhythms. Examples of arrhythmias include atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia and heart block. Arrhythmias can reduce how effective the heart is and some can be life-threatening and so usually need to be treated with medication or a medical device.
Palpitation
An awareness of a change in the heart rate and or rhythm. Often the person will be aware of, or can feel, their heartbeat, which can feel like a flutter or can be uncomfortable. Palpitations can happen suddenly, and are usually short-lived. They are normal at certain times, such as during exercise or periods of stress. However, if they appear to happen spontaneously, this can be a symptom of cardiomyopathy.