Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy “Cardiomyopathy” is used to describe diseases of the heart muscle, in which the muscle becomes enlarged, thick, or ridged. The main types of cardiomyopathy are dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and arrythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. Of these types, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the second most common form, although it is rare in general. HCM specifically involves the thickness of the myocardium, in which one part of the muscle is thicker than the others. According to the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, research on the etiology has led to findings that it is primarily an inherited disease caused by a gene mutation involving the sarcomere proteins in the myocardium, causing defects in heart muscle growth (“Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,” 2012). It can also develop over time due to hypertension (high blood pressure) or aging. It has been the cause of death of many young athletes, but the
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