Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is another kind of cardiomyopathy in which the heart muscles thicken (37). The thickening of the muscles mainly takes place at the septum, between the ventricles, right below the aortic valve. In this condition, the walls of the heart get stiff and lead to abnormal mitral and aortic valve function. When this happens the normal blood flow to and from the heart gets hampered. Immense train is put on the heart for pumping blood so that it can reach to all parts of the body.
Causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Usually this kind of cardiomyopathy is hereditary in nature and the problem runs in the family. Apart from this, there are other factors too which might contribute to the problem. Aging is a common cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (38). Along with this, high blood pressure also plays a crucial role in the disease.
Prominent symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
It is quite strange but true that many people suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy do not experience any strong signs or symptoms. Even if there are symptoms, they are so minor that they can be ignored easily. People often lead a normal life, until and unless symptoms for the problem start developing. When the heart function worsens, various kinds of symptoms for the cardiomyopathy start appearing. There is no age restriction for the symptoms to develop and they can occur at any age. Some prominent symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include:
- Pressure on chest or chest pain. This problem usually occurs after physical activity or with exercise. It might also be felt after meals or while resting.
- Immense fatigue and feeling tired all the time
- Shortness of breath, known as dyspnea, particularly with any kind of exertion
- Palpitations caused because of abnormal heart rhythms. Ventricular tachycardia or atrial fibrillation can also cause palpitations and arrhythmias.
- Fainting caused by various factors like abnormal response of blood vessels while exercising, irregular heart rhythms etc
- There might be cases of sudden deaths in many patients as well
Various modes of treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
There are many things which have to be kept into consideration while deciding the treatment plan for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It has to be checked whether there is narrowing in the way, which blood takes to go out from the heart (the outflow tract); if the patient suffers from arrhythmias, or how is the overall functioning and state of the heart and so on. The treatment is done in a way so that symptoms are prevented and risks and complications can be minimized.
- Lifestyle changes are highly recommended to keep hypertrophic cardiomyopathy under control
Diet is an important part of lifestyle change that needs to be made. If fluid intake is not restricted, drinking 6-8 glasses of water is mandatory. In case heart failure symptoms are present, fluid and salt restriction will be imposed. Ask the doctor if you can exercise. If he allows ask the kinds of exercises you are permitted to do. Most importantly, there should be regular follow-ups and visits to the doctor to understand the current condition.
- Medications that are usually recommended for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
The medicines that are used in the treatment of cardiomyopathy usually alleviate the symptoms and prevent further deterioration of the condition (39). The medicines help in keeping the heart relaxed and minimize the extent of obstruction so that the heart gains back the capability of pumping blood more efficiently. Calcium channel blockers and beta blockers are the most common kinds of medicines prescribed for the problem. For arrhythmia, special medicines are given so that normal heart beat is maintained. Medicines containing nitrates should be avoided by these patients.
- Surgical procedures
Various kinds of surgical procedures can be tried on patients suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy depending on their condition. For instance, in septal myectomy, a small portion of the thickened septal wall is removed so that the outflow tract is widened to the aorta from the left ventricle. Ethanol ablation is another surgical method by which the septal wall thickening is reduced so that normal blood flow can be maintained.
If a patient is at risk of sudden cardiac death or life-threatening arrhythmia, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) is suggested and recommended. The heart rhythm is constantly monitored by the implant.