There are two main causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which include:

There are a couple things that can increase your risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, including:

Our cardiologists specialize in diagnosing and treating HCM. Your physician will do a physical exam of your body. They may ask questions about your medical history, your family’s medical history and recent symptoms.

Your physician may order several tests to confirm HCM, such as:

• Ambulatory monitor (Holter monitor), which records your heart’s activity over a period of time
• Blood tests to check your electrolyte levels or look for genetic issues
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) to detect your heart’s electrical activity and measure its time and duration
• Genetic testing to show if the disease runs in your family
• Stress tests to understand if physical exertion triggers or worsens the HCM

You may also undergo imaging tests, such as:

• Cardiac catheterization, in which physicians place a tube (catheter) in your coronary arteries to understand how your heart is working 
• Chest X-ray to produce pictures of the inside of your chest and show if your heart is enlarged 
• MRI to show detailed pictures of your heart and how well your heart’s chambers and valves are pumping blood 

At UC Davis Health, we provide evidence-based care for HCM at any stage of life. Our expert team includes cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and social workers. Together, we create a treatment plan that fits with your needs.

If your physician has diagnosed you with HCM, but you don’t have symptoms, we may decide together that you don’t need treatment right away. Your treatment plan will depend on the severity of HCM and whether it is obstructive or non-obstructive. Other existing medical issues can also affect your treatment choices. We may recommend:

Medications

HCM often makes it hard for blood to flow throughout your body. We may prescribe medications to help, such as:

• Beta blockers to slow your heart rate if you have an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Blood thinners to thin the blood to help prevent blood clots
• Calcium channel blockers to relax your blood vessels (blood pressure) and make it easier for your heart to pump blood
• Diuretics to remove excess sodium and fluids from your body  

Lifestyle Changes 

If your physician diagnoses you with HCM or it runs in your family, heart-healthy choices can boost your heart and overall health. Consider:

• Limiting fluid and salt (sodium) intake
• Exercising with care (talk with your physician beforehand)
• Limiting or avoiding alcohol consumption
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Managing chronic conditions like diabetes or sleep apnea
• Quitting smoking or other tobacco use

Check out our heart health education classes

Alcohol Septal Ablation

We are the only center in the Sacramento are to offer alcohol septal ablation for HCM. During this nonsurgical procedure, our expert physicians inject ethanol (alcohol) into the artery that supplies blood to the thickened part of your heart muscle. A small part of the muscle dies, shrinking the tissue to its normal size. This process allows the blood to flow again with less blockage.

Surgery

We may recommend surgery for HCM if medications, nonsurgical procedures and lifestyle changes don’t work.

The most common surgeries place special devices into your body to correct irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) and improve blood flow. These permanent devices include:

• Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device: A physician implants the CRT device into the lower chambers of your heart (ventricles). The device helps your ventricles contract together rather than at different times.
• Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD): A device that maintains your heart’s normal rhythm. It sends a shock to your heart if it detects an irregular heartbeat.
• Pacemaker: A small device that uses electrical pulses to prompt your heart to beat normally.

Other surgical procedures available are: 

• Septal myectomy: This surgery improves blood flow by removing the part of the heart’s thickened wall (septum) bulging into your heart’s left ventricle. Surgeons often reserve this option for younger people or for when medications don’t work.
• Heart transplant: A surgeon replaces your diseased heart with a healthy donor heart. A heart transplant is a last-resort treatment. Most transplant recipients are in end-stage heart failure.