Sabrina Cuddy • January 26, 2024
February is Heart Month

Here are some HCM basics that everyone should know:

  • 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 – an HCMA-Recognized  Center of Excellence. The American College of Cardiologists and the American Heart Association guidelines for HCM agree about high-volume centers.
  • Most people have a few symptoms that are easily managed with medications. 
  • If you are a member of the HCMA Facebook Group, remember that those of us who seek support from the group often have more problems related to HCM. If you are newly diagnosed, you may be alarmed by what some are going through. Just know that your HCM may not be as dire as some accounts you read online. 
  • HCM is characterized by a thickening of the heart muscle (hypertrophy means “to thicken”). Even with minimal thickening, though, we can have symptoms due to heart muscle stiffness and other factors caused by myocardial disarray , which means the heart muscle cells aren’t lined up normally.  

Some HCM statistics

About 50% of adults with HCM present with symptoms. You can be diagnosed with HCM at any age. It’s common to be diagnosed during the teenage years, but the average age of diagnosis in the HCMA database is 39 years.  https://4hcm.org/hcm-development/  

70% of those with diagnosed HCM are obstructed (called HOCM); for more info, please see the  obstruction  page on our website.

25% of people with HCM will experience  atrial fibrillation , a serious arrhythmia. 

25% of people with HCM would benefit from ICD therapy to protect them from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Risk stratification for SCA can help you and your doctors decide if you need an ICD and what kind is best for you.  Traditional Transvenous ICD  –  Subcutaneous ICD Fewer than 5% of those with HCM will eventually need a  heart transplant.

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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