[Cardiac amyloidosis: review of the literature].

: The authors review the clinical impact of cardiac amyloidosis and new aspects concerning the management of this disease in the literature. Cardiac amyloidosis accounts for 5-10% of non-coronary myocardial disorders. It is a distinct form of cardiomyopathy with a severe prognosis. The authors review the role of endomyocardial biopsy and the relative sensitivity of non-invasive diagnostic methods. Chemical and genetic typing of amyloid, which is of considerable clinical value, is also reviewed due to recent evidence of treatment for different types of systemic and cardiac amyloidosis, such as the most common hereditary form caused by transthyretin gene mutation.