Topic Overview

What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (say “hy-per-TROH-fik kar-dee-oh-my-AWP-uh-thee") happens when the heart muscle grows too thick, so the heart gets bigger and its chambers get smaller. This may result in:

• No symptoms or few symptoms. Many people have no symptoms and live a normal life with few problems.
• The heart not getting enough blood and oxygen, which can cause chest pain.
• A fast, slow, or uneven heartbeat (arrhythmia). In rare cases, this can cause sudden death.
• The heart not pumping blood well or not relaxing between beats as it normally does. In rare cases, this can lead to heart failure.

See a picture of a normal heart and a heart with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common genetic heart disease. This means it runs in families. About 1 out of 500 adults have this condition. It often starts early in life, from the teens through the mid-30s.¹

It cannot be cured, but you can treat the symptoms.

What causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Certain genes cause the heart to grow more than it should. If you have family members with the disease, you are more likely to get it.

What are the symptoms?

If you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, you may:

• Have no symptoms.
• Feel tired and short of breath when you are active.
• Feel dizzy or faint, often after you have been active.
• Feel like your heart is pounding, racing, or beating unevenly (palpitations).
• Have chest pain (angina). You may have a heavy, tight feeling in your chest. Chest pain is often brought on by exercise, when the heart has to work harder.

Call your doctor if:

• You have a rapid or irregular heartbeat or fainting spells. You may have an arrhythmia, which makes sudden death more likely. People with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are at a higher risk for sudden death than other people and can die at a young age.
• You have symptoms that might be caused by heart failure, such as shortness of breath, being very tired, or swelling in your legs or ankles.

How is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about any health problems you've had and about any family history of heart disease or early and sudden death. Your doctor will do a physical exam. You may need tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), chest X-ray, or echocardiogram.