Familial dilated (congestive) cardiomyopathy. Occurrence in two brothers and an overview of the literature
; ; ; (1984)
Article
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Article
Two young White brothers had dilated (congestive) cardiomyopathy. The elder came to autopsy after a chronic course of congestive cardiac failure; the younger underwent repeated cardiac catheterization and transvenous right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy specimens demonstrated histopathological features in keeping with a diagnosis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. These brothers may have the familial form of the disease, although post-viral myocarditis cardiomyopathy cannot be entirely excluded. The literature relating to familial dilated (congestive) cardiomyopathy is reviewed.