Cardiac amyloidosis.

Cardiac amyloidosis should be considered in a patient with heart failure, who is normotensive with decreased left ventricular systolic function and marked left ventricular hypertrophy by echocardiogram and has decreased voltage by ECG. Furthermore, when the diagnosis of cardiac amyloid is made, it is important to classify the subtype of disease to be able to offer appropriate treatment. Contrary to traditional belief that the prognosis for patients with amyloidosis is dismal, some forms of this disease are curable and other forms are characterized by slow progression of disease.