Cardiomyopathy--the frequently forgotten mimic: clinical and open-chest myocardial biopsy studies.

Attention is drawn to the cardiomyopathies, 25 idiopathic cases being presented and the features noted which may mimic other conditions, especially coronary heart disease. Subtle clinical manifestations may be misinterpreted unless these disorders are kept in mind. The diagnosis can usually be suspected at the bedside but specialized tests may be required to confirm it. Open-chest myocardial biopsy has yielded exciting, but not yet apparently useful, results in six instances. Recognition of cardiomyopathy in aviation cardiology is important because of the high incidence of cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death associated with the condition.