Cardiologist Warns About Quiet Cause of Heart Failure: “Still Flying Under the Radar”
A cardiologist’s recent post on Instagram is racking up tons of views and comments for its major revelation about heart failure. According to Dmitry Yaranov, MD, a heart transplant cardiologist who posts under @heart_transplant_doc, there’s one “often-missed” cause of heart failure that’s “still flying under the radar” for many patients.
“It’s amyloidosis—a protein that infiltrates the heart, stiffens it, and gradually shuts it down from the inside out,” writes Dr. Yaranov. Considering heart disease is the most lethal disease in America—killing someone approximately every 34 seconds—this information is vital. Here’s more information about cardiac amyloidosis, why it’s still going undetected, and what you need to know to keep your own heart healthy and protected.
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“Most people are misdiagnosed for years,” writes Dr. Yaranova about amyloidosis. “They’re told it’s ‘hypertension,’ ‘age,’ or ‘just back pain.’
They bounce from clinic to clinic… while the heart quietly declines.”
While dramatic, he’s not wrong.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are several different types of cardiac amyloidosis, which can be hereditary or developed later on in life (most commonly after the age of 50, although some cases in young people are possible).
A major 2022 screening study found amyloid deposits in 1 of every 4 African-American men over 60 referred for unexplained heart failure.
Dr. Yaranova writes that there are some common clues to suggest cardiac amyloidosis in patients. These include: “Thick walls on echo. Low voltage on EKG. Carpal tunnel. Spinal stenosis. Fatigue that doesn’t make sense.”
These symptoms are also cited by the American College of Cardiology.
“But if you don’t look for it—you miss it,” he writes. “And if you miss it—it’s often too late to reverse… For many patients, early recognition is the only shot at a better outcome.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, common potential symptoms of cardiac amyloidosis that you can look out for yourself include:
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling in your feet, ankles, legs, and abdomen
- Fatigue
- Heart palpitations
- Enlarged neck veins
- Swollen liver
- Kidney problems
- Unusual bruising
- Swollen tongue
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Eye problems
- Hearing problems and deafness
- Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
If you’re at risk of heart failure or are exhibiting any of the above symptoms, experts suggest asking your doctor about amyloidosis.
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He or she can set you up with a non-invasive screening, such as a technetium pyrophosphate scan or blood/urine light-chain tests, which are recommended by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology.
If detected, treatments range widely, from chemotherapy to transplants or medications. That said, both Dr. Yaranova and other health institutions stress the importance of early detection.
“This isn’t rare,” Dr. Yaranova writes. “It’s just rarely diagnosed.”