Background:

Heart failure mortality is high in patients with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a genetic disorder resulting in iron accumulation within cardiomyocyte mitochondria. Due to limited mobility, cardiomyopathy in FA patients may not be detected until myocardial disease is advanced. We hypothesized that abnormal myocardial perfusion represents an early manifestation of cardiomyopathy, and can be detected with vasodilator stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

Read More: Subclinical Myocardial Ischemia Without LV Hypertrophy in Friedreich's Ataxia