HCM is a chronic disease that weakens the heart’s ability to pump enough blood throughout the body. It can also lead to other heart complications.
Some people with HCM experience minimal or no symptoms. However, for many with the disease, the symptoms may affect how they perform some daily activities. Making certain lifestyle changes can help when living with the condition.
What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
HCM occurs when the left ventricle walls thicken and grow stiff. As a result, the left ventricle can’t fill with enough blood and pump it out effectively to meet the demands of organs, muscles, and other tissues throughout the body.
There are two HCM types: obstructive and nonobstructive.
Obstructive HCM means the wall thickens between the left and right ventricles, the heart’s two lower chambers. This causes an obstruction or reduction in blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta. In nonobstructive HCM, the ventricle walls thicken, but blood flow to the aorta doesn’t experience obstruction.
HCM is a genetic condition, so it’s especially important to understand its symptoms if you have a family history of the disease, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Even if you don’t have a family history of HCM or are unsure whether you have a close relative with the condition, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with its symptoms.
Early recognition of cardiomyopathy symptoms can lead to a prompt diagnosis and starting treatment. The American Heart Association notes that the earlier HCM treatment begins, the more likely it can effectively manage your condition and reduce the risk of disease progression.
A 2022 research review also suggested that people with HCM can live full lives with early and consistent treatment.
The most common symptom of HCM is shortness of breath. This symptom, known as dyspnea, tends to worsen with exertion. Other common symptoms include:
- chest pain, especially during physical exertion
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- fainting
- fatigue
- heart rhythm disturbances
- swelling in the lower legs, abdomen, or both
Without effective treatment, HCM can lead to various complications. Among them are atrial fibrillation (AFib), when the heart’s upper chambers quiver and beat rapidly and irregularly. AFib can cause the heart’s blood to pool and form a clot that could cause a stroke if it travels to the brain.
HCM can also lead to heart failure, a condition in which the heart grows too weak to pump effectively. So, heart failure can lead to organ failure and other severe complications. Occasionally, HCM can lead to sudden cardiac death.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mavacamten (Camzyos) to treat HCM symptoms. Symptom improvement may help improve how people with HCM can perform certain activities. Other medications that can help manage blood pressure and heart function in people with HCM include:
- beta-blockers
- calcium channel blockers
- diuretics
Surgical procedures can also treat HCM, such as a septal myectomy, which involves removing part of the wall between the ventricles. Surgeons usually perform it for people with obstructive HCM, as reducing the wall thickness can remove blockage between the left ventricle and the aorta.
Trying to incorporate lifestyle changes into your routine may also help, including:
- eating a heart-healthy diet
- exercising regularly
- doing cardiac rehabilitation to help exercise safely
- sleeping sufficiently
- maintaining a moderate weight
A 2017 report suggested that many people with HCM have a small number of symptoms or none of them, especially early on. However, contact a doctor if breathing becomes more difficult during certain activities.
Dyspnea, lightheadedness, and chest pain are symptoms common to many heart and lung conditions, but it’s important to address them.
It’s also important to keep in mind that HCM is often a manageable condition that may require medications and lifestyle changes to improve heart function.