Shortness of breath, swollen ankles and feeling tired after everyday activity are familiar signs of heart failure. For some patients, the cause is a condition that is often missed: transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, or ATTR-CM.
What is ATTR-CM?
ATTR-CM happens when a protein called transthyretin, made mostly in the liver, misfolds and builds up in the heart muscle. Over time the heart walls become stiff, and the heart has a harder time filling with blood and pumping it to the body.
There are two main types. The wild-type form is linked to aging. The hereditary form is caused by a change in the transthyretin gene — and one of these variants is more common among people of African descent.
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Questions to ask your doctor
If you or a family member has been told you have heart failure, these questions can help start the conversation at your next appointment:
- Could my symptoms be caused by amyloid in my heart?
- Should I be tested for ATTR-CM?
- Does anyone in my family have heart failure or nerve problems?
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