Elena Morgan • August 7, 2024
HCMA Lori Fund

The HCMA is proud to recognize 51 Centers of Excellence (COE), where patients can be confident they will be cared for by knowledgeable, skilled HCM experts. However, the distance and financial resources needed to reach a COE can be a burden for families. That’s why the HCMA started the Lori Fund in 2023. The Fund covers up to $600 in transportation, meals, and hotels for HCM patients traveling to a COE. 

Sarah, a recipient of a Lori Fund travel grant, expressed the relief provided by the program, “I can’t thank each and every one of you enough for the help along the way! Just having that extra peace of mind helped tremendously.”

Coy, an HCM patient, says he earmarked his donation to the Lori Fund because “I am fortunate to live in close proximity to excellent HCM care. I am also fortunate to have personal resources that some with HCM may not have. I hope that our contribution will allow patients with fewer resources to be able to get the same level of care that I have access to.”

Another donor adds, “I understand how difficult it can be financially to get to the right doctor, the right Center of Excellence for properly diagnosing and getting the right therapy. Along with education about the disease, getting someone to the right doctor is the most important thing we can do to support patients.” 

Donating to the Lori Fund, you help ensure all HCM patients can access the care they need. Please use this link donate or apply for travel funds . Together, we can provide hope and support to HCM patients in need.

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 .
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