Heart Disease: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
What Is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is associated with thickening of the heart muscle, most commonly at the septum below the aortic valve and in the left ventricle. This leads to stiffening of the walls of the heart and abnormal heart valve function, both of which may impede normal blood flow out of the heart.
What Are the Symptoms of HCM?
Many people with HCM have no symptoms or only minor symptoms, and live a normal life. Other people develop symptoms, which progress and worsen as heart function worsens.
Symptoms can occur at any age and may include:
- Chest pain or pressure (occurs usually with exercise or physical activity, but can also occur with rest or after meals).
- Heart failure symptoms (shortness of breath and fatigue).
- Swelling of the lower extremities.
- Fatigue (feeling overly tired).
- Fainting (caused by irregular heart rhythms, abnormal responses of the blood vessels during exercise, or no cause may be found).
- Chest pain or pressure (occurs usually with exercise or physical activity, but can also occur with rest or after meals).
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Fainting (caused by irregular heart rhythms, abnormal
responses of the blood vessels during exercise, or no cause may be found).
What Causes HCM?
HCM can run in families, but the condition may also be acquired as a part of aging or high blood pressure. In
other instances, the cause is unknown.
How Is HCM Diagnosed?
HCM is diagnosed based on medical history (your symptoms and family history), physical exam, and tests: such as
blood tests, electrocardiogram , Chest X-ray , echocardiogram , exercise stress test , Cardiac Catheterization ,
CT scan , MRI and radionuclide studies ( Multigated Acquisition Scan ).
Another test often done to determine the cause of a cardiomyopathy is a myocardial biopsy where a tissue sample
is taken from the heart to examine the cause of the symptoms.
Next: How Is Hypertrophic Cardiopmyopathy Treated? »
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