Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and is attributed to mutations in one of a number of genes that encode for one of the sarcomere proteins. This thickened heart muscle can make it harder for the heart to pump blood. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may also affect the heart's electrical system.
It is believed to be a result of several problems (defects) with the genes that control heart muscle growth. To better understand what Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, HCM,
is lets first talk about how cardiomyopathies are described.
Karen Cardoso
The heart has four chambers - two atria and two ventricles. The walls of these chambers are mainly made of specialised heart muscle called myocardium. Problems occur when the septum between the heart’s lower chambers, or ventricles, is thickened. This hypertrophy can occur in any region of the left ventricle but frequently involves the interventricular septum, which results in an obstruction of flow through the left ventricular (LV) outflow tract.
Treatment of HCM depends on whether there is narrowing in the path that blood takes to leave the heart (called the outflow tract); how the heart is functioning; and if arrhythmias are present. The Cardiomyopathy Association encourages comments to improve the information it supplies.
It is believed to be a result of several problems (defects) with the genes that control heart muscle growth. To better understand what Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, HCM,
is lets first talk about how cardiomyopathies are described.
Karen Cardoso
The heart has four chambers - two atria and two ventricles. The walls of these chambers are mainly made of specialised heart muscle called myocardium. Problems occur when the septum between the heart’s lower chambers, or ventricles, is thickened. This hypertrophy can occur in any region of the left ventricle but frequently involves the interventricular septum, which results in an obstruction of flow through the left ventricular (LV) outflow tract.
Treatment of HCM depends on whether there is narrowing in the path that blood takes to leave the heart (called the outflow tract); how the heart is functioning; and if arrhythmias are present. The Cardiomyopathy Association encourages comments to improve the information it supplies.