Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 14 Mar 2025
What Is Thick Heart Syndrome, And Why Are Indians Prone To It?
The condition affects around one in 200 people across the world, with up to 7.2 million people in India living with it
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, is a complex type of heart disease that affects your heart muscle. According to doctors, the condition can lead to the thickening of your heart muscle, left ventricular stiffness, mitral valve changes, and cellular changes, all of which can be life-threatening. Statistics say HCM, which causes heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and even sudden cardiac death, affects around one in 200 people across the world, with up to 7.2 million people in India living with it.
Doctors say since many people with the condition have no symptoms and may not even know they have it, HCM becomes a silent killer. While it can be detected during a physical exam by hearing a heart murmur or noticing signs of poor blood flow, you must go for a regular heart checkup for that.
How does HCM affect your body?
HCM leads to thickening of the heart muscle, which eventually blocks or reduces the blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta—a condition called outflow tract obstruction. The ventricles must pump harder to overcome the narrowing or blockage, reducing the amount of blood your ventricle can handle.
Experts say it also leads to stiffness in the left ventricle, which happens as a result of cellular changes. Your left ventricle is not able to relax normally and is filled with blood. Since there is less blood at the end of filling, there is less oxygen-rich blood pumped to your organs and muscles. All of these symptoms cause chest pain, dizziness, and breathlessness.
What causes HCM?
There are many potential causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, including:
Genetics
You can inherit hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from your parents and pass it on to your children. It shows that there is something not right with a gene that codes the characteristics of the heart muscle. However, some people who have the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene may never develop the disease.
High blood pressure
It can lead to thickening of your arteries and subsequent thickening of the walls.
Ageing
As you age, you become more prone to this condition.
Signs and symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Doctors say those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may either have a variety of symptoms or none at all. Common signs include:
Chest pain
According to experts, this happens with increasing exercise or physical activity but also may occur with rest or after meals.
Difficulty breathing
If you have been feeling breathlessness, fatigue, and exhaustion, especially with exertion, there is something definitely wrong. These symptoms are more common in adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Increased pressure in the left atrium and lungs is the cause.
Passing out
Passing out or fainting happens due to irregular heart rhythms or abnormal responses of your blood vessels during exercise.
Heart beating too fast
You may feel a flutter in the chest or palpitations
Abnormal heartbeats
Atrial fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia may cause palpitations. Around 25 per cent of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk of blood clots and heart failure.
What are the treatments for HCM?
According to Cleveland Clinic, your doctor can base their recommendations for treatment on the following:
- Whether you have a narrowing in the path that blood travels as it leaves your heart
- How your heart is functioning
- Your symptoms
- Your age and activity level
- If you have arrhythmias
- Risk identification andregular follow-up
- Lifestyle changes: diet and exercise
- Taking your medications on time
- Following all procedures issued by your doctor
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