DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY - A group of disorders where the heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump effectively. The net result is dilation of the cardiac chambers, or cardiac enlargement. The poor cardiac function results in congestive heart failure. Causes for dilated cardiomyopathy include anemia, obesity, amyloidosis, alcohol abuse, ischemic cardiomyopathy, viral infections, and idiopathic cardiomyopathy.