Gordon Fox • February 9, 2022
Mavacamten instead of septal reduction?
Mavacamten inhibits the movement of myosin, a key component of heart muscle. Jeff16, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Many people first discover they have HCM because blood flow out of their heart is obstructed. Some of these patients eventually need to have their septums reduced physically by surgery ( septal myectomy ) or alcohol septal ablation. Can a drug replace these invasive treatments?

On April 2, 2022 Dr. Milind Y. Desai , a leading HCM researcher and practitioner, will present initial results on mava camten ‘s use in severely obstructed HCM patients. Dr. Desai is Director of the HCM Center at the Cleveland Clinic. Scheduled for the American College of Cardiology meeting in Washington. His talk on “Mavacamten as an alternative to surgical septal myectomy or alcohol ablation in patients with severely symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy” will present results from the VALOR-HCM trial.

This will be the first set of results on mavacamten’s use in HCM patients who are obstructed. For further background on mavacamten, see this interview with Dr. Martin S. Maron.

HCMA Blog

Medical Management May

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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