What the Cardiologist Should Know About Mitochondrial Cardiomyopathy?

Mitochondrial diseases are a heterogeneous group of rare hereditary disorders that may manifest with single organ involvement or as multisystemic disease. The pathophysiology of mitochondrial disease is complex and related to mutations of genes encoding mitochondrial proteins that are crucial to the cellular respiratory chain. Given its almost exclusive aerobic metabolism, the heart is particularly susceptible to mitochondrial dysfunction and commonly involved in mitochondrial disorders. Various clinical presentations are described, making clinical recognition challenging. Some patients may evolve towards the early need for heart transplantation, which emphasizes the importance of appropriate diagnosis and referral to a specialized centre.