Olivia Esposito • July 26, 2023
Are you newly diagnosed with HCM, or have your symptoms recently changed?

It may feel overwhelming to learn about this new diagnosis or figure out how to “adjust the sails” to manage your HCM if things are changing. The HCMA is here for you – you are not alone! Besides the information in this newsletter and on our website, you can contact us for an Intake and Navigation Call or, if you have already spoken with us, an Update Call. Either way, sign up with Intake first and let us know if you need a new intake or an update:  https://4hcm.org/education-and-support/. If you are outside the US, you can request a Zoom call to save on long-distance call costs.

I have HCM; now what?

Breathe! On average, we live as long as anyone else when we properly care for our HCM. We are more likely to get good care at a high-volume center – a Center of Excellence. The American College of Cardiologists and the American Heart Association guidelines for HCM agree about high-volume centers.

HCM is characterized by thickening of the heart muscle (hypertrophy means “a thickening of muscle fibers”). Even with minimal thickening, though, we can have symptoms due to stiffness of the heart muscle and other factors caused by myocardial disarray, which means that the heart muscle cells aren’t lined up normally.  For more information, follow this link:   https://4hcm.org/newly-diagnosed.

You can find great support in our  Discussion Groups  and on Facebook. Remember that those of us seeking support from the  Facebook group  are most often those with more problems related to HCM. If you are newly diagnosed, you can learn a lot from the group, but you may be alarmed by what some of us are going through. Just know that your HCM may not be as dire as some of the accounts you read online. Most people have a few symptoms that are easily managed with medications. The group is private, and you will find excellent peer support if you become a member.

You may develop new symptoms over time – don’t panic!

HCM symptoms can stay the same for a patient’s lifetime, but for many of us, things change. Some will develop an  arrhythmia  – an irregular heart rhythm that may be concerning or may just be annoying. Obstruction can increase over time, causing new symptoms or more intense symptoms. For these reasons, it is vital to be followed regularly by your HCM specialist. You might need a change of medications or other treatment to improve your quality of life. The HCMA can help you understand your latest test results, organize your thoughts so you know what to ask your doctor, or help you find a new team to manage your care. We are here for you, so don’t hesitate to  contact us !

HCMA Blog

April 30, 2025
Medical Management means using medicines and other non-invasive therapies to relieve symptoms. It's exciting that new treatments for HCM are being studied and that the FDA approved Camzyos in 2022! HCM can cause various symptoms depending on how stiff the heart is, how much scarring (fibrosis) there is, and whether there is obstruction. Some people have no noticeable symptoms. Common symptoms are chest pain/pressure, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fatigue, palpitations, and brain fog. Syncope (fainting) is dramatic but not as common as the other symptoms. Medications are the first-line treatment for symptoms of HCM. If patients can't take one class of medication, they can try a medication from a different class. Here are some medications used to treat HCM and what they're for: Beta Blockers - make your heart beat slower and relax better. They allow the heart to fill more completely between beats. They can lower blood pressure and relieve symptoms. Calcium Channel Blockers - used to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate. May reduce symptoms from obstruction in HCM. Myosin Inhibitors - cause the heart to beat with less force. They may reduce obstruction and septal thickness in some patients. Camzyos (mavacamten) is the first of this class of medication. For more information, click HERE . Antiarrhythmics - help to restore normal rhythm in the heart. Blood Thinners - anticoagulants and anti-platelets make it harder for blood to clot. They are prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke. This risk is higher in patients with afib, aflutter, and artificial heart valves. Diuretics , or "water pills," help the kidneys get rid of extra water and salt, reducing swelling in the body. Sodium Channel Blockers - may reduce gradient in obstructive HCM and can treat chest pain. Some also act as antiarrhythmics. Antibiotics - treat or prevent bacterial infections. In HCM, they may be given before dental work to prevent infective endocarditis. To learn more and see the side effects of these medications, click HERE .
On a green background, a line drawing of a head that has complicated arrows pointing outwards
By Gordon Fox April 25, 2025
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