Final answer:
The leading cause of dilated cardiomyopathy is ischemic heart disease. Chagas disease is pathognomonic for dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy is characterized by the enlargement of heart chambers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The leading cause of dilated cardiomyopathy is ischemic heart disease, which is a condition caused by narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack.
In South America, a tropical disease called Chagas disease is considered pathognomonic for dilated cardiomyopathy. It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted through the bite of infected triatomine bugs.
One of the hallmarks of dilated cardiomyopathy is the enlargement (dilation) of the heart chambers.