certain infections (including Hepatitis C). Untreated celiac disease can cause cardiomyopathies, which can completely reverse with a timely diagnosis. In addition to acquired causes, molecular biology and genetics have given rise to the recognition of various genetic causes. A more clinical categorization of cardiomyopathy as 'hypertrophied', 'dilated', or 'restrictive', has become difficult to maintain because some of the conditions could fulfill more than one of those three categories at any particular stage of their development. The current American Heart Association (AHA) definition divides cardiomyopathies into primary, which affect the heart alone, and secondary, which are the result of illness affecting other parts of the body. These categories are further broken down into subgroups which incorporate new genetic and molecular biology knowledge. Mechanism The pathophysiology of cardiomyopathies is better understood at the cellular level with advances in molecular techniques. Mutant proteins can disturb cardiac function in the contractile apparatus (or mechanosensitive complexes). Cardiomyocyte alterations and their persistent responses at the cellular level cause changes that are correlated with sudden cardiac death and other cardiac problems. Cardiomyopathies are generally varied individually. Different factors can cause Cardiomyopathies in adults as well as children. To exemplify, Dilated Cardiomyopathy in adults is associated with Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, Hypertension, Valvular diseases, and Genetics. While in Children, Neuromuscular diseases such as Becker muscular dystrophy, including X-linked genetic disorder, are directly linked with their Cardiomyopathies. Diagnosis Among the diagnostic procedures done to determine a cardiomyopathy are: Physical exam Family history Blood test ECG Echocardiogram Stress test Genetic testing Classification Cardiomyopathies can be classified using different criteria: Primary/intrinsic cardiomyopathies Congenital Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) Left ventricular noncompaction Ion Channelopathies like the Long QT syndrome and the very rare Short QT syndrome Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia Mixed Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) Brugada syndrome Acquired Stress cardiomyopathy Myocarditis, inflammation of and injury to heart tissue due in part to its infiltration by lymphocytes and monocytes Eosinophilic myocarditis, inflammation of and injury to heart tissue due in part to its infiltration by eosinophils Ischemic cardiomyopathy (not formally included in the classification, due to ischemic cardiomyopathy being a direct result of another cardiac problem) Secondary/extrinsic cardiomyopathies Metabolic/storage Fabry's disease Hemochromatosis Endomyocardial Endomyocardial fibrosis Hypereosinophilic syndrome Endocrine Diabetes mellitus Hyperthyroidism Acromegaly Cardiofacial Noonan syndrome Neuromuscular Muscular dystrophy Friedreich's ataxia Other Obesity-associated cardiomyopathy Treatment Treatment may include suggestion of lifestyle changes to better manage the condition. Treatment depends on the