Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is when the heart becomes abnormally thick which makes it harder for it to pump blood. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will often go undiagnosed due to patients having few or none of the symptoms, however, it can cause life-threatening heart rhythms.

Causes:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is usually caused by gene mutations.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy vary depending on how far the condition has advanced. Symptoms for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include

  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Irregular heartbeat

Imaging and Diagnostics:

There are many ways for the doctor to diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Below are tests that the doctor may ask the patient to make a proper diagnosis

  • Electrocardiogram
  • Echocardiogram
  • Cardiac MRI

Treatments:

The goal of treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is to relieve symptoms and treatment will depend on the severity of the symptoms. The treatment options the doctor may suggest are

  • Medications like beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, blood thinners, and heart rhythm drugs
  • Surgeries to remove part of the wall between the heart chambers, destroy part of the heart, or put in an ICD

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