What is Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy (AVC)?
Arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy (AVC) is a rare condition that affects the heart muscle and can be associated with ventricular arrhythmias. Other names that are used interchangeably are arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), or arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD).
This condition affects the protein layers that connect the heart muscle at a microscopic level are replaced with fat and scar, impairing its ability to squeeze and relax with each heartbeat. AVC affects 1 in 2,500 individuals, gender is equally affected and commonly diagnosed in age groups of 20-40 years old, however, symptoms have been seen in all ages.
The causes may be a part of other conditions that can affect the heart muscle, however more commonly it is from a cardiac genetic abnormality that alters the proteins and ions within the cells. In patients with known AVC, about 40-50% of the time a cardiac genetic mutation can be identified. This is an autosomal dominant disease, this means that if you have AVC, there is a 50% risk of passing the disease to your offspring.