Muscular dystrophy

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Muscular dystrophy

Definition

Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders that involve progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue.

Alternative Names

Inherited myopathy; MD

Causes

The group of diseases called muscular dystrophies (MD) includes many inherited disorders, such as:

Becker's muscular dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy
Myotonic dystrophy
Myotonia congenita

Lambert-Eaton syndrome and myasthenia gravis also have symptoms that may be similar to early stages of some types of muscular dystrophies, so these disorders must be ruled out before muscular dystrophy is diagnosed.


Superficial anterior muscles

Review Date: 9/10/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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