Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

A team of experts focused on specialized care

Inova's hypertrophic cardiomyopathy clinic uses a multidisciplinary approach to provide patients with cohesive, state-of-the-art care, delivered in a practical, easy-to-understand manner. The hypertrophic cardiomyopathy clinic offers comprehensive noninvasive testing to accurately diagnose and risk stratify patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The clinic offers the latest in medical, surgical and procedural treatment as well as several groundbreaking research studies for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and their families.

What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a hereditary medical condition that affects approximately one in 500 Americans. It causes increased heart wall thickness (hypertrophy), which can block blood from leaving the heart. The increased wall thickness can also result in higher rates of arrhythmias and the development of heart failure.

People with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy often present with nonspecific symptoms like shortness of breath, lightheadedness, dizziness, chest pressure, fainting on an inability to exercise. Since the underlying cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is genetic, multiple family members can be affected.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic disease that can be inherited from a person’s parents. Genetic changes (mutations) alter proteins that make up heart cells, which results in excessive thickening of the heart’s left ventricle. How exactly this happens is not yet clear.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is typically inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. This means you need an abnormal gene from only one of your parents to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, even if you have an abnormal gene associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, it does not mean you will definitively develop the disease. Researchers are still trying to understand what other factors increase or decrease an individual’s chance of having the disease.

Most people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have few or no symptoms. Symptoms most commonly appear during adolescence or young adulthood. The onset and severity of symptoms varies among those with the condition. Symptoms may include:

Shortness of breath with activity
Shortness of breath when lying flat
Chest pain, especially with activity
Fainting or near fainting
Unpleasant awareness of the heartbeat (palpitations)
Fatigue
Swelling in the legs and feet
Abnormal heart rhythms

The initial evaluation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy often requires multiple noninvasive tests. You may be asked to get an:

Echocardiogram: This test can confirm the diagnosis. An echocardiogram will provide more detailed information about the heart’s structure and function.
Stress echocardiogram: This test involves exercising on a treadmill or stationary bike with an echocardiogram. This examines the heart's response to exertion in detail.
Cardiac MRI: This is a noninvasive test that allows physicians to investigate the makeup of heart muscle. The test has become the gold standard to make or exclude the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Ambulatory monitor: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are at increased risk of experiencing an abnormal heart rhythm. This test allows your doctor to monitor your heart rhythm for a short period of time (one to 14 days).
Genetic testing: Genetic testing is a key component of the evaluation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.