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(Circulation. 2002;106:2419.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cardiology Patient Page

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Barry J. Maron, MD

From The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, Minneapolis, Minn.

Correspondence to Barry J. Maron, MD, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, 920 E. 28th St, Suite 60, Minneapolis, MN 55407. E-mail hcm.maron@mhif.org

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a complex but relatively common form of genetic heart muscle disease that occurs in 1 out of 500 people, but often goes undiagnosed in the community, and has caused some confusion to both patients and physicians periodically over the years. HCM is the most common cause of heart-related sudden death in people under 30 years of age, and it can also be responsible for exercise disability at almost any age. HCM occurs equally in both sexes and has been reported in many races. Although HCM is a chronic disease without a known cure, a number of treatments are now available to alter its course.

The Many Names and Other Sources of Uncertainty

Much of the confusion about HCM, as well as the limited awareness about the condition in the general public, comes from factors such as the vast array of complex names and acronyms given to the disease (over 75 in number), and its infrequent occurrence in cardiology practice. Patient support and advocacy groups have closed the information gap by using the internet, facilitating more effective communication between interested parties independent of geography (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association [HCMA] web site is available at http://www.4HCM.org; phone (973) 983-7429 or (877) 329-4262).

How Is HCM Diagnosed?

HCM is usually identified by an echocardiogram that produces ultrasound images of the thickened wall of the heart muscle (hypertrophy of the left ventricle). This is usually most prominent in the ventricular septum (the wall separating the left and right ventricles), but is not accompanied by an enlarged cavity. Normal thickness of the left ventricle . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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