Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy News and Research

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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a condition that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively due to the thickening (hypertrophy) of the heart muscle which becomes stiff as a result.

HCM patients undergoing transplant can expect reasonable long-term survival rates: Research

Transplant surgery to correct the most common type of genetic heart disease yields similar short-term and potentially greater long-term survival rates as transplant surgery for other heart diseases, according to research reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.

25 Aug 2010

TomTec releases new version of 2D Cardiac Performance Analysis package

TomTec launches the latest version of its 2D Cardiac Performance Analysis package as part of TomTec's Image-Arena™ multimodality imaging solution.

11 Aug 2010

Researchers differentiate human stem cells to become heart cells with cardiomyopathy

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have for the first time differentiated human stem cells to become heart cells with cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle cells are abnormal. The discovery will allow scientists to learn how those heart cells become diseased and from there, they can begin developing drug therapies to stop the disease from occurring or progressing. The study is published in the June 9th issue of Nature.

10 Jun 2010

Researchers use healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict risk for dozens of diseases

For the first time, researchers have used a healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict his risk for dozens of diseases and how he will respond to several common medications. The risk analysis, from the Stanford University School of Medicine, also incorporates more-traditional information such as a patient's age and gender and other clinical measurements.

30 Apr 2010

Renowned cardiologists to discuss latest research on Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy at HCMA symposium

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), the genetic disease in which the muscle of the heart thickens in the absence of an apparent cause, is the leading cause of sudden death in children and young adults. HCM accounts for 40 percent of all deaths on athletic playing fields across the U.S.

29 Apr 2010

HCM: Questions to ask

While a jury awarded Tony and Angela Key, $1.6 million following a malpractice trial in the death of their 22-year-old son, Antwoine, a basketball player for Eastern Connecticut State University who collapsed and died during a game in 2005, it is a small measure of solace when a young life is cut short, particularly when the cause - hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) - could have been treated, had it been properly diagnosed.

3 Apr 2010

Sports Injuries: Story ideas from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

NCAA BASKETABLL TOURNAMENT COACHES, REFEREES, PLAYERS AND FANS: IT'S YOUR VOICE! From the first tip-off of March Madness to the championship's final buzzer, thousands of people will relentlessly scream and shout, placing tremendous strain on the voice. While no one is recommending silence, the constant pressure on the vocal chords can cause great damage.

22 Mar 2010

Simple genetic test can help in detecting heart abnormalities

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disease that causes the heart muscle to become abnormally large. It often goes undetected and, as a result, HCM has the dubious distinction of being the leading cause of sudden death in children, young adults and athletes.

2 Feb 2010

Physician attributes sudden death in young athletes to inherited heart diseases

The sporting world lost two young athletes this month to sudden cardiac death. Preliminary autopsy reports indicate that Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams, 26, and Southern Indiana center Jeron Lewis, 21, both had enlarged hearts at the time of their death.

20 Jan 2010

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A deadly disease that often goes undetected

The tragic news of Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams, 26, and Southern Indiana center Jeron Lewis, 21, whose sudden deaths are both suspected to be from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), are vital reminders that this deadly disease often goes undetected.

19 Jan 2010

Just one test not enough to detect heart defects in young athletes

To best detect early signs of life-threatening heart defects in young athletes, screening programs should include both popular diagnostic tests, not just one of them, according to new research from heart experts at Johns Hopkins.

16 Nov 2009

Policymakers urged to preserve access to advanced imaging in final health care reform legislation

Survivors and patients with cancers and heart disease, along with patient advocate organizations and physicians, today urged policymakers to enhance early diagnosis of deadly diseases by preserving access to advanced imaging, such as MRI and CT scans, in final health care reform legislation.

15 Oct 2009

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy causes sudden cardiac death in children and young adults

Since Congress declared October “National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month” one year ago, more than 250,000 Americans have suffered SCA. For too many, the underlying cause was Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), an inherited disease that affects one out of 500 Americans. What makes it all the more troubling is that early diagnosis of HCM through simple and inexpensive screening can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death.

6 Oct 2009

Detection is the key to preventing the sudden death of young athletes

Few things stun a community more than when a seemingly healthy high school or collegiate athlete suddenly dies during practice or in competition from a hidden heart disorder.

11 Aug 2009

Recently identified genetic heart disorder often deadly for young patients

A study that included young patients with a recently recognized rare type of cardiomyopathy (a disorder of the heart muscle) linked to a genetic mutation finds that progression of this disease may be rapid and often results in early death, according to a study in the March 25 issue of JAMA.

24 Mar 2009

Discovery could lead to novel arrhythmia treatments

Abnormal heart rhythms - arrhythmias - are killers. They strike without warning, causing sudden cardiac death, which accounts for about 10 percent of all deaths in the United States.

21 Jan 2009

Candesartan shown to be safe new therapy for genetic heart disease

A new clinical trial suggests that long-term use of candesartan, a drug currently used to treat hypertension, may significantly reduce the symptoms of genetic heart disease.

1 Jan 2009

First study showing how protein fine-tunes the heart

Dr Andrew Whitten, Dr Cy Jeffries and Professor Jill Trewhella, from the School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences, University of Sydney, with Samantha Harris, from the University of California, USA, have the first data showing how a protein in heart muscle cells works to maintain regular heart function.

27 Nov 2008

New technique in blood analysis may speed diagnosis of heart attacks

Someday doctors may be able to use a blood test to confirm within minutes, instead of hours, if a patient is having a heart attack, allowing more rapid treatment that could limit damage to heart muscle.

9 Sep 2008

Sports-related sudden cardiac death is reduced by pre-participation cardiovascular screening

Young competitive athletes are perceived by the general population to be the healthiest members of society. The possibility that highly trained athletes may have a potentially serious cardiac condition that can predispose to life-threatening tachyarrhythmias or sudden cardiac death seems paradoxical.

31 Aug 2008