Cardiac amyloidosis. Apropos of a case

Abstract

Cardiac amyloidosis is a serious disease caused by extracellular amyloid deposition at that level. Its diagnosis and treatment depends on histopathologically identifying amyloid deposits, and immunohistochemically, biochemically or genetically determining its type. Patient's history, age, clinical presentation, physical examination, affected organ system or apparatus, underlying causes and family history, may provide useful clues to the amyloid type. In this paper we discuss a case of cardiac amyloidosis in an elderly patient whose initial clinical presentation was marked by syncopal episodes. Difficulties in diagnosing amyloidosis subtype by using high technology studies indicate the usefulness of clinical data as a crucial element that may lead us to suspect diagnosis.