Which term pertains to diseases of the heart muscle?

Which term pertains to diseases of the heart muscle?

• A. Bradycardia
• B. Cardiomyopathy
• C. Esophageal varices
• D. Emesis

Answer: (B)

This term specifically refers to diseases of the heart muscle, the myocardium. The word breaks down as cardio- (heart) + myo- (muscle) + -pathy (disease), so it directly means a disease of the heart muscle itself. When the myocardium is diseased, its ability to contract and relax can be impaired, leading to problems with pumping blood and, over time, symptoms of heart failure. The other terms describe different things: bradycardia is an abnormally slow heart rate, which is a rhythm issue rather than a muscle disease; esophageal varices are dilated veins in the esophagus related to portal hypertension, not the heart muscle; emesis means vomiting, a digestive symptom. So cardiomyopathy is the one that denotes a disease of the heart muscle.

This term specifically refers to diseases of the heart muscle, the myocardium. The word breaks down as cardio- (heart) + myo- (muscle) + -pathy (disease), so it directly means a disease of the heart muscle itself. When the myocardium is diseased, its ability to contract and relax can be impaired, leading to problems with pumping blood and, over time, symptoms of heart failure.

The other terms describe different things: bradycardia is an abnormally slow heart rate, which is a rhythm issue rather than a muscle disease; esophageal varices are dilated veins in the esophagus related to portal hypertension, not the heart muscle; emesis means vomiting, a digestive symptom. So cardiomyopathy is the one that denotes a disease of the heart muscle.