Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) causes the heart muscles in the left ventricle to thicken, making it difficult for your heart to function properly. HCM may be life threatening if left untreated.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heart condition most commonly caused by
It causes your heart muscle, or myocardium, to become thicker than usual. This interferes with your heart’s ability to relax and pump blood out to the rest of your body.
Research suggests that HCM affects
Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms, risk factors, and treatments for HCM.
Many people with HCM don’t experience any symptoms, according to the
Symptoms of HCM may
In some cases, HCM may
There are
- Obstructive: This is the most common type of HCM. It refers to when the affected part of your heart muscle, typically the septum between the left and right ventricles, obstructs or reduces blood flow from the left ventricle to the rest of your body.
- Non-obstructive: This is when your heart muscle has thickened but does not impair blood flow.
The
Mutated genes may cause your heart muscle to thicken. Researchers have identified mutations in more than
HCM follows a
Speak with a healthcare professional if you have a family history of HCM. Genetic testing may help identify whether you’re carrying an HCM gene mutation or if you’re likely to pass on the condition to another generation.
Another possible
HCM affects the heart in several different ways,
- Septal hypertrophy: This is the thickening of your heart’s walls, which means your heart needs more force to pump.
- Mitral leaflet abnormalities: These are changes to the four flaps that close your mitral valve to keep blood moving forward in your heart.
- Mitral regurgitation: This generally occurs as a result of a suction effect, known as the Venturi effect. This may cause blood to backflow into your heart.
- Arrhythmia: An irregular or fluttering heart rate is a common side effect of HCM.
- Relaxation abnormalities: Thickening of your heart muscle that occurs along with HCM can cause a sluggish or irregular heart rate.
Imaging tests are the hallmark of diagnosing HCM. A healthcare professional may perform a range of tests to help measure several things, such as:
- heart muscle thickness and hypertrophy
- mitral regurgitation
- heart movements and rates
- the amount of blood your heart is pumping out
Some of these tests may
Sometimes, you may receive a diagnosis during an imaging test for something else and a doctor notices an atypical characteristic.
There’s currently no cure for HCM. Treatment for HCM focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing complications, especially sudden cardiac arrest.
Your treatment plan may depend on several factors, such as:
- symptoms
- age
- activity level
- heart function
- outflow obstruction
Medications
Medications are the
Recent research in HCM suggests that a drug called
Non-pharmacological treatments
A healthcare professional may recommend non-pharmacological treatments as part of your HCM treatment plan. These may
- septal myectomy
- pacemaker
- implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
- septal ablation, which involves an alcohol injection to destroy part of your thickened heart muscle
Lifestyle changes
A doctor may recommend the following lifestyle changes for HCM to reduce your risk of complications:
- eating a well-balanced diet
- keeping your weight at a healthy-for-you level
- doing low intensity physical activities
- stopping smoking, if you smoke
- limiting alcohol intake, as alcohol can cause atypical heart rhythms
- restricting high impact exercise and focusing on low impact activities, such as walking, golfing, or bowling
In many cases, HCM may never lead to serious health problems.
However, HCM may cause sudden cardiac arrest in some people. This occurs when your heart suddenly stops working and is also called “sudden cardiac death.”
According to the
Without emergency treatment, sudden cardiac arrest can be fatal.
HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. This could manifest in an athlete with undiagnosed HCM who experiences sudden cardiac death on the playing field.
HCM may also lead to heart failure, which happens when your heart doesn’t pump the amount of blood your body needs.
Getting support
Living with HCM may impact your mental, emotional, and physical health.
Speak with a healthcare professional if you’re struggling to cope with HCM. They may recommend seeing a therapist or joining a support group.
The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association also offers support from nurse navigators who can help you receive free support for your condition.
What is the life expectancy of a person with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
The life expectancy for someone with HCM has dramatically improved. As little as 35 years ago, the mortality rates for HCM were 6% per year. In 2018, these rates were estimated at 0.5% per year.
Is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy serious?
Many people don’t experience symptoms of HCM or a treatment plan could help them live a normal life. However, HCM may lead to several severe complications, such as sudden cardiac arrest.
At what age does hypertrophic cardiomyopathy develop?
HCM may develop at any point in your life, but most people receive a diagnosis between ages
What should you not do with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
A healthcare professional may recommend certain lifestyle changes if you receive a diagnosis of HCM. These may include stopping smoking if you smoke, doing light-intensity physical activity, eating a well-balanced diet, and limiting alcohol, among others.
HCM is a genetic, lifelong disease. In some people, it can contribute to early death or impact their quality of life.
New treatments and medications may potentially extend the life and daily functioning of those with symptomatic HCM.