Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the most common inherited cardiomyopathies, but as many as 85% of people with the condition have not been diagnosed. Missing the presence of HCM could lead to significant morbidity, most severely sudden cardiac death.
Skilled echocardiography and image interpretation is critical to diagnosing HCM and distinguishing it from other cardiac conditions. It is also necessary in guiding certain treatment options, such as septal reduction therapy (SRT) and mitral valve repair. Physicians and sonographers can struggle to recognize the specific clinical signs and symptoms that indicate the need for echocardiographic evaluation in patients suspected of having HCM. Further, there is a lack of consistent use and understanding of advanced echocardiographic modalities among clinicians, which results in suboptimal assessments of HCM.
To address this and other gaps, ASE is leading innovation, inclusion and integration in HCM by providing education and conducting Forums that bring together key group leaders in the clinical community with the goal of improving patient care.
- Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The Medline Plus website. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/familial-hypertrophiccardiomyopathy/#
frequency. Accessed on July 26, 2023. - Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The American Heart Association website. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/
cardiomyopathy/what-is-cardiomyopathy-in-adults/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy. Accessed on July 26, 2023.
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