Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy

What is Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy (LVNC)?

LVNC is a condition where the muscular wall of the heart appears 'spongy'.
It can affect the heart's ability to work efficiently as a pump, and affect the electrical signalling of the heart.
Although it cannot be cured, treatment is available for people who experience symptoms.

What are the symptoms of LVNC?

Not everyone with LVNC has symptoms (some people never have any symptoms). Symptoms vary from one person to another depending on the amount and position of the non-compaction, and they are not specific to LVNC (they can happen with other types of cardiomyopathy, and other conditions, which can make diagnosis difficult). Symptoms of LVNC can include:

breathlessness
fatigue (extreme tiredness)
feeling dizzy or light-headed

How is LVNC diagnosed?

If someone has a family member with cardiomyopathy or LVNC, or they have symptoms that suggest they may have a heart condition, they may be referred for various tests. This may include the following:

Medical history and family tree - to look at symptoms and whether other family members have this condition (which can be genetic).
Physical exam - to see what physical symptoms, if any, are experienced.
ECG (electrocardiogram) - to look at electrical activity in the heart and see if abnormal heart rhythms are happening.
Echo (echocardiogram) – to look at the movement of blood as it flows through the heart and search for ‘spongy’ areas.

How is LVNC treated and managed?

Although LVNC cannot be cured, treatment can control any symptoms caused by a reduction in how well the heart is working as a pump, or by problems with the electrical signalling in the heart. Treatment aims to help to improve the heart's function and to reduce any complications. Treatment is guided by the results of the diagnostic tests and the symptoms, and so is individualised based on the symptoms they are experiencing.

Treatment may include medication, implantable devices, surgery and lifestyle management.

Heart with LVNC

Useful Factsheets

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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).
Echocardiography
Echocardiography has become routinely used in the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of patients with any suspected or known heart diseases. It is one of the most widely used diagnostic tests in cardiology. It can provide a wealth of helpful information, including the size and shape of the heart (internal chamber size quantification), pumping capacity, and the location and extent of any tissue damage. An echocardiogram can also give physicians other estimates of heart function, such as a calculation of the cardiac output, ejection fraction, and diastolic function (how well the heart relaxes).