Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Rare card · No. 36624

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, or HOCM when obstructive) is a condition in which muscle tissues of the heart become thickened without an obvious cause. The parts of the heart most commonly affected are the interventricular septum and the ventricles. This results in the heart being less able to pump blood effectively and also may cause electrical conduction problems. Specifically affected are the bundle branches that conduct impulses through the interventricular septum and into the Purkinje fibers, as these are responsible for the depolarization of contractile cells of both ventricles. People who have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may have a range of symptoms. People may be asymptomatic, or may have fatigue, leg swelling, and shortness of breath. It may also result in chest pain or fainting. Being dehydrated may aggravate the symptoms. Complications may include heart failure, an irregular heartbeat, and sudden cardiac death. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is most commonly inherited in an autosomal...

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