Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Description

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart that is related to changes in the proteins of the heart muscle. These changes cause a thickening of the heart muscle that makes it hard for the heart to work efficiently. The condition may result in abnormal heart rhythms, and people with this disease often die suddenly during exercise.

Common signs and symptoms

• Chest pain

• Abnormal heart rhythms

• Sudden loss of consciousness (syncope)

• Rapid heart rate felt as a fluttering in chest (palpitations)

• Sudden death

• Poor tolerance for exercise

• Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)

• Swelling of feet and ankles

Causes

Abnormalities of the heart muscle cause it to thicken and stiffen. The mechanism for this process is not understood, but it is presumed to result from the heart muscle’s inability to effectively pump blood out of the heart; the body then tries to make more muscle tissue to compensate for it. As the heart enlarges, the muscle may increase in size so much it actually prevents the heart from ejecting blood. The lack of oxygen to the heart results in abnormal rhythms and injury to the remaining heart muscle, leading to fainting and other symptoms, including sudden death.

Factors that increase risk

• A strong family history of sudden death from unexplained causes

• Unexplained episodes of syncope (fainting)

Preventive measures

• Medications to decrease the work of the heart, such as beta-blockers, may be administered.

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