You have been diagnoses with HCM - NOW WHAT?

We know that the diagnosis of HCM may be an overwhelming tiem for you and your family. We encourage you to contact the HCMA office early in your educational process. The most important thing for you to know at this point is the likelihood that your will live a long and relatively "normal" life in terms of length and qualtiy far outways the risk of sudden cardiac arrest and significantly impacted quality of life.

Step One: BREATH - You have a long road ahead in terms of learning about your condition.  The HCMA is here to help in this process and you need not travel this path alone.

Step two: TAKE YOUR TIME - Please do not rush into treatment without the benefit of educating yourself and understanding your condition.   Ensure that you have communicated with all relatives to ensure they too can be evaluated for HCM.

Step three: GET EDUCATED - Read the HCMA website starting with HCM an Overview and also visit the "Message Board Community" - you may wish to share your story or simply read how others have handled their diagnosis and management - you are far from alone in the process.

Step four:  HCM CENTERS- While you may have been diagnosed by a local cardiologist it is likely that this local cardiologist sees very little HCM and has probably not seen someone with the same presenation of HCM as you have.  There are Centers of Excellence in the USA, Canada, Europe and other places in the world that may well provide more comprehensive and up to date care for HCM in its many presentations.

Step five:  GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE!  Living with HCM can be very uneventful in terms of symptoms and activity level.  The goal of the HCMA is to improve and save lives of those with HCM - it is possible to have not only a long life - but a life free of significant cardiac symptoms.