What Is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a condition where the heart muscle thickens in certain parts of the heart. Usually it tends to affect the muscle around the left ventricle but occasionally the right ventricle is affected. How much the muscle thickens depends upon certain areas of the muscle. For example, the wall which separates the left ventricle from the right one is usually the place where the heart muscle thickens the most.

It is not known what actually causes this condition but it occurs when the muscle cells in the heart are not arranged in an ordinary way. It usually occurs in late teenage years and early adulthood, though it can also affect some younger children. Common symptoms include being unable to breathe properly, dizziness and chest pain.

Overall the condition usually stays stable throughout the rest of your life, but in some cases it can progress. In these instances you really should contact a doctor as it could result in Arrhythmias or even sudden death in the most extreme cases.

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