Cardiac Amyloidosis

Cardiac amyloidosis happens when amyloid proteins build up in your heart. Usually, these proteins dissolve and are removed from the body, but in rare cases the proteins are deposited in the heart—causing the walls of the heart to thicken and your heart to become stiff.  

When this happens, your heart is unable to relax between heartbeats, causing pressure to build up that prevents blood from filling up the chambers in the heart. If blood cannot move through the heart as it should, it can cause blood to back up into the lungs and other parts of the body. Because cardiac amyloidosis can prevent the heart from keeping up with the body’s needs, it often leads to heart failure.  

Our cardiologists can treat your cardiac amyloidosis and relieve your symptoms by removing the amyloid buildup or slowing it to help prevent the condition from worsening over time. Our experienced providers will create a customized treatment plan that works for you.  
 

Your evaluation will begin with a physical examination, a review of your medical history, and a discussion about any symptoms you are experiencing. Based on this evaluation, your provider may order additional tests. Your provider will decide which of the following tests may be needed:

• Blood tests
• Chest X-ray
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Stress test
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Echocardiogram
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Nuclear imaging heart test (PYP)
• Biopsy (tissue sample)
• Genetic testing

If you have any questions about these tests, please talk to your provider. They can tell you about the importance of each one. 

Treatment depends on which type you have. If the production of the protein can be slowed, your body may be able to get rid of the amyloid buildup. Even if your body cannot get rid of it, your condition may not get worse with treatment.  

For AL amyloidosis, the main goal is to suppress the production of the antibodies and light chains by the plasma cells. This is often done with chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Sometimes a stem cell transplant is considered.  

For transthyretin amyloidosis, the goal is to lower the production of TTR protein from the liver and deposit it into other organs. Certain medications can lower production of TTR or stabilize TTR protein to stop it from breaking down.