Mildly dilated congestive cardiomyopathy: Diagnostic features and natural course

Mildly dilated congestive cardiomyopathy (MDCM) is an unusual variant of congestive cardiomyopathy that carries an especially poor prognosis. In our experience, 75% of patients with MDCM who were treated medically died during follow-up. Thus, irrespective of heart size or myofibrillar preservation, patients in whom signs of severe congestive heart failure persist despite medical therapy should be considered for heart transplantation.