Revisiting definition and classification of cardiomyopathies in the era of molecular medicine

Primary myocardial diseases have always attracted the attention of the scientific community because of their obscure aetiopathogenesis, and for years there was confusion and controversy regarding their nosography and taxonomy. Since the first WHO official classification, tremendous progress has been made. Novel entities have been discovered, requiring an update of the classification in 1995, and the aetiology of many forms has been clarified. The Working Group of Myocardial and Pericardial Disease of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recently published a position statement different from the 2006 American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement. The scope of the present editorial is to deal with the nosographic impact of the advances made since 1995 and to comment on the ESC position statement which has been designed to provide a valid tool for routine clinical practice.