The public health burden of cardiomyopathies: A call for action

Cardiomyopathies (CMs) are defined as myocardial disorders in which structural or functional abnormalities of the myocardium occur in the absence of conditions that can explain them.In recent years, tremendous progress on understanding of molecular background, genetic architecture and diagnostic strategies has dispelled the concept of CMs as rare entities.Indeed, they are now recognized as a major health burden and an important cause of heart failure, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death [1].However, the clinical course of CMs patients is not always straightforward.Based on phenotype, genotype, and comorbidities patients may remain asymptomatic or experience multiple exacerbations.The variable expression of CMs has influenced epidemiological studies, underestimating the true prevalence.In addition, most of information come from studies conducted at tertiary centers and are affected by referral bias.Finally, studies describing clinical trajectories and contemporary management of CMs are lacking.In this issue of the Polish Heart Journal, Mizia-Stec and colleagues [2] publish a cross-sectional, nationwide, retrospective study providing novel insights on treatment pathways of CMs patients.