Travis remained in critical condition Tuesday at a Texas hospital with complications from viral cardiomyopathy. He has had heart surgery, says his sister-in-law Teresa Traywick.
Cardiomyopathy may be caused by viral infections, coronary heart disease or diseases involving other organs. Sometimes, the cause of cardiomyopathy is unknown. As the disease worsens, it can lead to heart failure, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and heart valve problems, the heart association says.
Cardiomyopathy "means a pathetic heart muscle," says cardiologist Mariell Jessup, resident of the heart association and a heart-failure specialist. "There are multiple kinds of cardiomyopathies, and part of the doctor's job right now is to find out what is wrong with his heart muscle.
"There are many things that they may be calling heart surgery, so it's difficult to know exactly what they are doing.
RANDY TRAVIS SINGS
