- July 18, 2022
- By admin
Targeted Medication for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
What exactly is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a complicated type of heart disease that affects the muscle of your heart. It may result in:
- Thinning of the heart muscle (especially the ventricles or lower heart chambers).
- Stiffness in the left ventricle.
- Mitral valve replacement.
- Cellular modifications.
What is the root cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be caused by a number of factors, including: Genetics. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be inherited from your parents and passed down to your children. This indicates that something is wrong with a gene that codes for heart muscle characteristics. There are numerous genes that can result in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that develops when a gene defect is present varies greatly within the family. Some individuals with the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene may never develop the disease.
- Blood pressure is high.
- Aging.
- The cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is sometimes unknown.
What medical conditions are linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
The vast majority of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy lead normal lives with no health issues. They may not even require medication for their condition. Even if you don’t have symptoms, your doctor may advise you to avoid strenuous exercise. Other people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may develop heart conditions that reduce their life expectancy or quality of life, such as:
- Sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death are both possible outcomes:
A dangerously fast heartbeat causes a sudden loss of heart function, resulting in sudden cardiac arrest (ventricular tachycardia). If this occurs, people require emergency treatment, such as CPR and defibrillation, as soon as symptoms appear. Sudden cardiac death can occur if people do not receive the necessary treatments.
The majority of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are not at risk of sudden cardiac death. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, on the other hand, is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in people under the age of 35. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is perhaps best known for its role in the death of some young professional athletes due to cardiac arrest.
2) Heart attack:
Heart failure does not imply that your heart has “failed” or stopped working. It means your heart isn’t pumping as efficiently as it should. Heart failure symptoms include:
- Breathing difficulties (shortness of breath).
- When you are active, you may feel tired (fatigue).
- Ankle, leg, and abdominal swelling
- I need to urinate while sleeping.
- Dizziness, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and fainting are all symptoms.
- Feeling as if your heart is beating too quickly (palpitations).
- A hacking, dry cough.
- A bloated or hard stomach, loss of appetite, or stomach upset
How can hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) be identified?
HCM is diagnosed using the following criteria:
- Medical background. Your healthcare provider will inquire about your symptoms as well as your family history.
- Physical examination. Your doctor will examine your heart and lungs. A heart murmur may be present in people with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).
- Tests. An echocardiogram is the most commonly used test to diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy because it shows the thickening of your heart walls.
Other possible tests include:
- Blood tests are performed.
- Electrocardiogram.
- X-ray of the chest
- Stress echo test should be performed.
- Catheterization of the heart.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (MRI).
What are the treatment options for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
Your healthcare provider’s treatment recommendations will be based on the following factors: Whether you have a narrowing in the path that blood takes after leaving your heart (the outflow tract).
- How your heart is working.
- Your signs and symptoms.
- Your age and level of activity.
- If you suffer from arrhythmias.
The goal of your treatment is to reduce or eliminate symptoms and the risk of complications like heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Treatment options include:
- Identification of risks and regular follow-up
- Changes in lifestyle.
- Medications.
- Procedures.
What are the medications used to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
Medication is frequently prescribed by healthcare providers to treat your symptoms and prevent further complications. Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers relax the heart muscle, allowing it to fill more efficiently and pump more effectively. Other medications may help you control your heart rate or reduce the frequency of arrhythmias.
Certain medications, such as nitrates (which lower blood pressure) or digoxin (which increases the force of the heart’s contraction), may be advised to be avoided. To reduce the risk of bacterial endocarditis, a potentially fatal condition, you may need to take antibiotics and take other precautions.
What treatments are available for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
The following procedures are used to treat hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy:
- Myectomy of the septum:
Your surgeon removes a small portion of your thickened septal wall during a septal myectomy to widen the path your blood takes (outflow tract) from your left ventricle to your aorta. If medications aren’t working, your doctor may suggest a myectomy. The mitral valve problem is frequently resolved during this surgical procedure.
- Ablation of ethanol:
This procedure, also known as septal ablation, is reserved for patients who are unable to undergo a septal myectomy. Your healthcare provider will locate the small coronary artery that supplies blood flow to the upper part of your septum during this procedure. They insert a balloon catheter into the artery and inflate it. The contrast agent is then injected to locate the thickened septal wall that narrows the passageway from your left ventricle to your aorta.
When your provider finds the bulge, he or she will inject a small amount of pure alcohol through the catheter. The alcohol kills the cells on contact, causing your septum to shrink back to normal size over time. This widens the blood flow passage.
- ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator):
ICDs can assist people who are at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death. The ICD is a small device that is placed just beneath your skin and is linked to wire leads that are threaded through your vein to your heart. Your heart rhythm is constantly monitored by an ICD. When it detects a very fast, abnormal heart rhythm, it sends energy (a small but powerful shock) to your heart muscle to restore normal heart rhythm. If an ICD is a good treatment for you, your provider will tell you.
- Management of heart failure:
There are several ways to manage heart failure, ranging from making lifestyle changes to taking medications that relieve symptoms or help the muscle in your heart work properly.