1 out of 500 people suffer from HCM.
In a small number of cases, sudden death occurs to student-athletes.
Statistics
HCM is the leading cause of sudden death
7,000 young people die from SCA each year, 40% suffer from HCM
Although 60% of people inherit HCM, 40% of the people with HCM have no family history
Of the young athletes that died in the black community, 50% suffer from HCM |
Cardiomyopathy is a serious disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should. In most cases, the causes of Cardiomyopathy is unknown. However, doctors are able to identify conditions that may cause or contribute to Cardiomyopathy: sustained high blood pressure, pregnancy, excessive use of alcohol over the years, abuse of cocaine or antidepressant medication, certain viral infections.
There are 3 main types of Cardiomyopathy - Dilated, Hypertrophy Cardiomyopathy and Restrictive.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
This is the most common form. In it, the heart cavity is enlarged and stretched. The heart is weak and doesn't pump normally, and most patients develop congestive heart failure. Abnormal rhythms called arrhythmias and distrubances in the heart's electrical conduction also may occur. Blood flows more slowly through an enlarged heart, so blood clots easily form.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy Treatment
There may be anti-clotting drug therapy and anti-arrhythmic drugs needed.
Hypertrophy Cardiomyopathy
In one form of the disease, the wall between the two ventricles becomes enlarged and obstructs the blood flow from the left ventricle. In the other form of the disease, non-obstructive HCM, the enlarged muscle doesn't obstruct blood flow. It's considered a genetic disease that affects about 1 in 500 people
Symptoms: shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, and chest pain. Some abnormal heart rhythm cases can lead to sudden death. In most cases, there are no symptoms.
HCM Treatment
The usual treatment involves taking a drug known as beta blocker, or calcium channel blocker. In some cases a ICD(Implantable Cardioveter Defibrillator)
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
This is the least common type in the US. The heart muscle of the ventricle becomes excessively "rigid", so it's harder for the ventricles to fill with blood between heartbeats. A person with restrictive cardiomyopathy often complains of being tired, may have swollen hands and feet, and may have difficulty breating on exertion.
Symptoms
Some people who develop cardiomyopathy may have no signs and symptoms in the early stages of the disease. But as the condition advance, signs and symptoms usually appear. Signs and Symptoms may include:
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Breathlessness with exertion or even at rest
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Swelling of the legs, ankle and feet
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Bloating of the abdomen with fluid
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Fatigue
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Irregular heartbeats that feel rapid, fluttering or pounding
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Dizziness, Lightheadedness and fainting
No matter what type of cardiomyopathy you have, signs and symptoms tend to get worse unless treated. In certain people, this worsening happens quickly; while in others, the disease may not worsen for a long time.
Causes
Most of the time, the cause of the cardiomyopathy is unknown. In some people, however, doctors are able to identify some contributing factors. Possible causes of cardiomyopathy include:
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Long-term high blood pressure
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Heart valve problem
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Heart tissue damage from a previous heart attack
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Chronic rapid heart rate
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Metabolic disorders, such as thyroid disease or diabetes
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Nutritional deficiencies of essential vitamins or mineral, such as thiamin(vitamin B-1), selenium, calcium and magnesium.
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Pregnancy
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Excessive use of alcohol over many years.
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Abuse of cocaine or antidepressant medications, such as tricyclic antidepressants
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Use of some chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer
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Certain viral infections, which may injure the heart and trigger cardiomyopathy
Hemochromatosis is a disorder in which your body doesn’t properly metabolize iron, causing it to build up carious organs, including your heart muscle. This can lead to a weakening of the heart muscle, resulting in dilated cardiomyopathy.
Tests and diagnosis
Your doctor will conduct a physical examination, take a personal and family medical history, and ask when your symptoms occur – for example, whether exercise brings on your symptoms. If your doctor thinks you have cardiomyopathy, you may need to undergo several tests to confirm the diagnosis. These tests may include:
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Chest X-Rays. An image of your heart will show whether it’s enlarged
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Echocardiogram. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of the heart. Your doctor can use these images to examine the size of your heart and its motions as it beats.
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Electrocardiogram (ECG). In this noninvasive test, electrode patches are attached to your skin to measure electrical impulses from your heart. An ECG can show disturbance in the electrical activity of your heart, which can detect abnormal heart rhythms and areas of injury.
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Cardiac Catheterization and biopsy. In this procedure, a thin tube (catheter) is inserted in groin and threaded through your blood vessels to your heart, where a small sample (biopsy) of your heart can extracted for analysis in the laboratory. Pressure within the chambers of your heart can be measured to see how forcefully blood pumps through your heart. Pictures of the arteries of the heart can be taken during the procedure (coronary angiogram) to ensure that you do not have any blockage.
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Blood Tests. One blood test can measure brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a protein produced in your heart. Your blood level of BNP rises when your heart is subject to the stress of heart failure, a common complication of cardiomyopathy.
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Picture above of a normal heart.
Complications:
Arryhthmias
Irregular heart beat.
Atrial Fibrillation
Normal rhythm of heart beat is lost and replaced by an irregular rhythm.
Endocarditis
An infection of the heart which occurs rarely in HCM.
Sudden Death
A small number of patients with HCM occurs with little or no warning.
Heart Block
The normal electrical signal may travel down to the ventricles slowly or may even be completely blocked.
Picture below of a heart with HCM.
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