Gordon Fox • April 14, 2025
Decisions in HCM

by Victoria-Theresa Wyatt and Gordon Fox:  First in a series

What is Shared Decision-Making?

Shared decision-making is a term used a lot in healthcare settings and medical education these days. It represents the latest understanding of the physician's and patient’s roles and responsibilities in helping patients make decisions about their health. Shared decision-making is intended to combine patient preferences, the physician's clinical expertise and the latest medical research to make more informed healthcare decisions. 


What typically goes into making a decision? 

  • Identification - Identifying the decision you would like to make (For example: Should I get pregnant as an HCM patient?). How does this decision affect the many other potential issues I might have as an HCM patient (Would my HCM make my pregnancy risky? What is the chance my child will inherit my HCM?)?
  • Analysis  - Bring together the information you have available (such as risk factors and assessment, quality of life concerns, health history, doctor's recommendations, etc.).  How do I get more and more accurate information to help make this decision?
  • Evaluation  - Using the information above to make your decision (in conjunction with your medical team and loved ones, like in treatment plans). 



What does this look like in real life? Imagine you are planning a vacation. HCM might cause you to make additional decisions or consider additional factors when choosing where to go or what to do. If your HCM is  stable and you are not very symptomatic, the proximity of quality cardiac care may not be at the front of your mind when choosing your vacation destination. If you are an HCM patient in advanced heart failure, you may want to vacation in areas where you can be certain you can obtain care. You might need to consider whether your trip requires strenuous activity or you can opt out of those activities. Perhaps your doctor has told you to avoid certain activities that might put you or others at risk if you have an issue and you want to take that into consideration when planning your itinerary.


What this series will do.


In this series of blog posts, we hope to break down the decision-making process with HCM, understanding risk, how to interpret it as the doctors may explain it, and how it applies to you, as well as discuss some common areas where HCM may affect your decision-making process. Using the information provided in this series, you will feel better equipped to apply some of the information you receive to make the right decisions for you! 


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
Part 2 of a series on making decisions in HCM. A key reason is that decision making is so difficult is that most decisions involve more than one risk.
Hypertrophic Obsctructive Cardiomyopathy
By Erica Friedman April 22, 2025
Bristol Myers Squibb announces that Camzyos has been approved for Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Japan.
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