Amyloidosis is a group of diseases where misfolded protein clusters build up on your body's tissues and organs. These clusters can damage important organs including your heart. Tufts Medicine offers advanced diagnosis, treatment and management of cardiac amyloidosis, helping you live your healthiest life.
Getting to the heart of cardiac amyloidosis care
Amyloidosis is a group of diseases where misfolded protein clusters build up on your body's tissues and organs. When these clusters affect your heart, they can lead to cardiac amyloidosis, causing symptoms like shortness of breath, swelling and irregular heart rhythms.
We use the latest cardiac imaging to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis, including technetium pyrophosphate (PYP) scanning, advanced echocardiographic techniques and cardiac MRI.
If you’ve already been diagnosed, we provide expert care including amyloid-specific therapies and heart failure management strategies. We specialize in treating cardiac amyloidosis, helping you manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.
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Conditions
The type of amyloidosis you have depends on the affected proteins. For people living with cardiac amyloidosis, amyloid causes the heart to become stiff and unable to function properly. Most people with amyloidosis of the heart have one of the following types:
- Amyloid transthyretin (ATTR): More commonly linked to carpal tunnel syndrome, neuropathy or spinal stenosis.
- Familial or hereditary ATTR amyloidosis: Caused by an inherited gene mutation that makes the liver produce an abnormal transthyretin protein.
- Age-related ATTR amyloidosis (wild-type ATTR): Develops in older adults when the transthyretin protein remains normal but still forms amyloid deposits. Most often affects men over 70 and can lead to progressive heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms.
- Amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis: Often affects the kidneys and other organs. It is caused by plasma cells in the bone marrow producing an abnormal antibody protein that damages tissues, including the heart.
The key difference between the 2 types of cardiac amyloidosis is the type of protein that builds up in the heart. There are differences in the symptoms, too. AL often affects the kidneys as well as other organs. Meanwhile, ATTR amyloid typically can be associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, neuropathy or spinal stenosis.
Testing
We turn to the following tests to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis:
- Blood and urine testing
- Echocardiogram
- Technetium pyrophosphate (PYP) scanning
- Cardiac MRI
- Electrocardiogram
- Physical examination
In rare cases, we may perform a heart biopsy to determine your exact type of cardiac amyloidosis.
Treatments
Several treatments are available for cardiac amyloidosis. Our doctors can recommend the best treatment for you and help manage your symptoms. Depending on the type of amyloid and the affected organs, treatment may involve collaboration among specialists, including cardiologists, hematologists, neurologists and pharmacists.
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Locations
Tufts Medical Center CardioVascular Center
800 Washington Street
Proger Building at Floating Bridge, 6th floor
Boston, MA 02111
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