Definition

Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders characterized by progressivemuscle 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

These disorders are distinguished from each other by the type of inheritance (sex-linked, dominant gene, recessive gene), the age when symptoms appear, and the types of symptoms that develop. Because these are inherited disorders, risks include a family history of muscular dystrophy.

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 when muscular dystrophies are diagnosed.

Review Date: 7/4/2004
Reviewed By: Andrew L. Chen, M.D., M.S., Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation, Vail, CO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.