Q:
There is a history of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in my family. I haven’t got it, but I’m worried about it. What should I know about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
A:
Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM) is a type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). It is an uncommon variant. Compared with other types of HCM, the detectable sarcomere protein gene mutations of AHCM are less prevalent. AHCM was initially described in Japan where the incidence is the highest. It is well-documented in other Asian countries, too.
For people with AHCM, sudden cardiac death is less likely to occur. In comparison with other forms of HCM, the overall cardiovascular morbidity may be less common. However, certain AHCM patients are still facing high risk of cardiovascular morbidity.
Fortunately, imaging is able to increase the detection rate of AHCM. What researchers should do now is to improve the accuracy of detection. As long as the disease is detected and diagnosed early, the success rate of treatment is high.
Keywords: apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Related FAQs:
http://healthtopquestions.com/?p=4434
http://healthtopquestions.com/?p=4457
