Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Basic Facts

  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic heart condition where the heart muscle (usually the wall of the left ventricle) becomes abnormally thickened.
  • The thickening of the left ventricle can lead to difficulty of blood flow getting out of the heart to the rest of your body. 

 

The symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include:

  • Shortness of breath, specifically on exertion,
  • Sudden cardiac arrest,
  • Chest pain,
  • Dizziness,
  • Lightheadedness or fainting, and
  • Palpitations (awareness of one’s heartbeat).

 

  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a genetic condition, meaning it is something inherited from your parents and it is something that can be passed on to your children.
  • Unlike other cardiac disease, there is no way to prevent HCM with diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. 

 

The diagnosis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy involves a combination of physical exam and advanced imaging techniques:

  • Electrocardiography (ECG) – This test records the electrical activity of the heart.
  • Echocardiography – This test uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart, showing its size and shape, as well as how the heart chambers and valves are working.
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Magnetic and radio wave energy take pictures of the heart’s structure. 

Once HCM is diagnosed, a physician will stratify a patient for their risk of developing sudden cardiac arrest (when their heart stops). 

 

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is usually treated with congestive heart failure medications, including:

  • Beta-blockers, which lower blood pressure and heart rate, reducing the workload on the heart,
  • Calcium channel blockers, which dilate (open) the blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the heart,
  • Cardiac Myosin Inhibitors – New medications which work directly on the heart muscle to decrease the obstruction between the chambers of the heart,
  • Alcohol Septal Ablation – A non-invasive Cardiac Catheterization Procedure using alcohol to decrease the thickness of the heart muscle,
  • Surgical Myectomy – Open heart surgery to cut out the excess muscle