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Heart Specialties

Diagnosis & Treatment

Cardiac Amyloidosis

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How is cardiac amyloidosis diagnosed? 

Diagnosis

Cardiac amyloidosis is often mistaken for other conditions, so it’s essential that you see an experienced doctor to determine the cause of your symptoms. The longer cardiac amyloidosis remains untreated, the more heart function can decline and become irreversible. At  NewYork-Presbyterian, we use a combination of tests to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis accurately. These tests may include: 

  • Echocardiogram or an ultrasound of the heart
  • Nuclear scans such as PYP
  • Cardiac MRI 
  • Blood tests 
  • Biopsy
  • Genetic testing 
  • Nerve conduction study

Diagnosis can also depend on the type of cardiac amyloidosis a person has: 

  • AL amyloidosis requires a biopsy of the affected organ to make the diagnosis.
  • ATTR can often be diagnosed using a combination of blood tests and a heart scan called a cardiac scintigraphy scan. Biopsies may also be needed in some cases. 

How is cardiac amyloidosis treated? 

Treatment

The treatment for cardiac amyloidosis depends on which type of amyloidosis you have. For patients with ATTR, treatment can help slow the progression of their condition, reduce hospitalizations, and even prolong their lifespan. Treatments may include:  

  • TTR stabilizers: Medications that help stabilize and maintain the normal TTR protein structure 
  • RNA silencers: Medications that reduce production of the TTR protein by the liver 
  • Heart transplantation: Selected patients with severe cases of heart failure from amyloidosis may benefit from a heart transplant if their other organs are healthy

For patients with AL cardiac amyloidosis, treatments are aimed at reducing production of light chains by the plasma cells and reducing further damage to the organs involved.

More to explore

Pioneering research on cardiac amyloidosis 

Pioneering research on cardiac amyloidosis 

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia has been at the forefront of developing therapies for ATTR. Our investigators led the pivotal study of tafamidis for cardiac amyloidosis, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2019, and have extensive experience using tafamidis for ATTR. Today, researchers at both Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medicine are partnering to lead late-phase clinical trials of other novel therapies for this type of cardiac amyloidosis, with the goal of developing more effective options for patients. There are also several clinical trials underway to evaluate new therapies for the treatment of AL.

Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for cardiac amyloidosis care 

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WCMC Team

NewYork-Presbyterian, in collaboration with doctors from Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University, is a renowned leader in amyloidosis treatment, and is home to one of the largest cardiac amyloidosis programs in the country. In addition to providing  innovative treatments, our expert doctors lead and offer promising new cardiac therapies through clinical trials. 

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