What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is most often caused by abnormal genes in the heart muscle. These genes cause the walls of the heart chamber (left ventricle) to become thicker than normal. The thickened walls may become stiff and this can reduce the amount of blood taken in and pumped out to the body with each heartbeat.

What is the life expectancy of a person with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Mean age at HCM death was 56 years (range, 7-87 years); 21 deaths (72%) were considered premature, occurring before age 75 years (Figure 1). The other 8 patients (28%) died of HCM at age 76 to 87 years and, therefore, achieved statistical life expectancy (Figure 1).

What are the causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

There are many genes that can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. When a gene defect is present, the type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that develops varies greatly within the family. Some people who have the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene may never develop the disease. High blood pressure.

What does hypertrophic mean?

1 biology : excessive development of an organ or part specifically : increase in bulk (as by thickening of muscle fibers) without multiplication of parts cardiac hypertrophy. 2 : exaggerated growth or complexity economic hypertrophy. hypertrophy.

What is the most common type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Obstructive: The most common type, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) means the wall (septum) between the left ventricle and right ventricle thickens. This can block (obstruct) blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta (the body’s main artery).

How is hypertrophy caused?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is usually caused by abnormal genes (gene mutations) that cause the heart muscle to grow abnormally thick. In most people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the muscular wall (septum) between the two bottom chambers of the heart (ventricles) becomes thicker than normal.

How does hypertrophy occur?

How Does Hypertrophy Happen? Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of muscle cells. When muscle tissue is placed under mechanical stress, myogenic stem cell activation occurs, which leads to repair of damaged muscle tissue and an increase in muscle cell size.

How do you get cardiomyopathy?

Viral infections in the heart are a major cause of cardiomyopathy. In some cases, another disease or its treatment causes cardiomyopathy. This might include complex congenital (present at birth) heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, uncontrollable, fast heart rhythms, or certain types of chemotherapy for cancer.