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Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Alternate Names : Asymmetric Septal Hypertrophy (ASH), Cardiomyopathy - Hypertrophic (HCM), Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis, IHSS
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Treatment
Treatment is aimed at control of symptoms and prevention of complications. Some patients may require hospitalization until the condition is stabilized.
The thick ventricles of HCM contract and relax abnormally, and to assist the relaxation phase some drugs may be necessary. These include beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers such as verapamil, which improve exercise tolerance and reduce chest pain.
When severe blood outflow blockage exists, an operation called myotomy-myectomy (heart muscle cutting-heart muscle removal) often results in marked improvement. Replacement of the mitral valve during the same surgery is necessary in some HCM patients with mitral valve regurgitation.
Some people with arrhythmias may need antiarrhythmic medications. If the arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, the risk of embolization (blood clots breaking away from the atrium and clooging arteries in the body) may need to be reduced with anticoagulation.
Patients with HCM and potentially lethal arrhythmias may need to receive an implantable-cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to prevent sudden death. An ICD is usually the treatment of choice also in patients with HCM resucitated from sudden death.
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• Definition
• Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
• Symptoms & Signs
• Prevention
• Diagnosis & Tests
• Treatment
• Prognosis
• Complications
• Calling Your Health Care Provider
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Arrhythmias
• Cardiomyopathy
• Dilated Cardiomyopathy
• Heart Failure
• Hypertension
• Mitral Regurgitation - Chronic
Tests & Exams
• Chest X-Ray
• Coronary Angiography
• Doppler Ultrasound Exam of An Extremity
• ECG
• Echocardiogram
Other Topics
• Breathing Difficulty
• Chest Pain
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Heart Murmurs and Other Sounds
• Heartbeat Sensations
• High Blood Pressure
Review Date : 11/4/2002
Reviewed By : Elena Sgarbossa, M.D., Department of Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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