Stacey Titus • March 4, 2024
Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute– Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute is among the best heart programs in the nation and the top-ranked program in Tennessee. The Genetic Cardiomyopathy Program and the multidisciplinary care team deliver expert care for HCM in adults and children and provide genetic counseling for their families. The Vanderbilt Team has additional board certifications in advanced heart disease, advanced imaging, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, structural catheter-based intervention, and cardiac surgery. The Vanderbilt Team works closely with the doctors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to help transition families from pediatric care to adult care. The team creates a care plan that meets your unique health goals and needs. Vanderbilt Health is one of the top heart transplant programs in the world, providing patients with outstanding outcomes and access to innovative new research and treatments.

The HCMA held a BigHearted Warriors Unite Webinar Series on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024 with the team at Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute. In case you missed it here is the link to view the recording on Youtube HERE

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For more information on the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institue HCM Program in Nashville, TN, please visit:  HERE


For more information on all HCMA Recognized Centers of Excellence, please visit HERE

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
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