Randy Travis developed viral cardiomyopathy, but the illness could have also been linked to genetics or alcohol abuse.
Country artist Randy Travis was hospitalized recently with viral cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that put the singer in critical condition, the Huffington Post reported.
The disease occurs most often in men between the ages of 40 and 60, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
The condition weakens the heart, and enlarges it to the point where it has trouble pumping blood, according to Huffington Post.
Cardiomyopathy usually occurs slowly and over time, except in viral cases such as this one.
"Viral cardiomyopathy can be caused by 30-plus different viruses, but it's almost impossible to pinpoint which virus it is," Dr. Ramin Oskoui, a cardiologist and internal medicine specialist in Washington told CNN. "Hospitals use viral cardiomyopathy as a 'catch all' diagnosis."
The singer has had some alcohol-related incidences this year, but there is no proof this is related to his recent illness.
"To say that Mr. Travis' alcohol use exacerbated his problems would be pure speculation, but if someone told me alcohol played a role in his cardiac problems, I wouldn't be surprised," Oskoui said.
Travis also has heart conditions in his family history, according to Huffington Post.
"Their mother passed away at an early age with her heart, so it is like these boys are following right in their footsteps," Travis' sister-in-law Teresa Traywick told People via the Huffington Post.
Other causes of the condition include: high blood pressure, nutritional deficiencies, tissue or heart-valve damage, diabetes, and prescription drug abuse.
There are a number of treatments for Cardiomyopathy including medical implants and medication.
Cardiomyopathy is responsible for between one in 25 to one in 50 cases of heart failure, 30 to 40 percent of those cases are inherited, according to Patient.co.uk.
The symptoms can include heart arrhythmia, stroke, and sudden cardiac death. Some milder warning symptoms are "fatigue, weakness, and intolerance to exercise."
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