Cardiomyopathy means abnormal heart muscle. There are various types of cardiomyopathy. Sometimes the condition appears suddenly, so it is called acute. In other cases the condition has been present for many years or even since birth (congenital) and therefore is termed chronic. Often it can be difficult to determine how long the cardiomyopathy has been present, as sometimes it is not diagnosed until it leads to heart failure. Learn more about cardiomyopathy >