title: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: presentation and pathophysiology.
abstract: HCM is a heterogeneous disease with various clinical presentations. Recent advances in understanding the genetic abnormalities responsible for ventricular hypertrophy promise to improve our ability to diagnose this condition and to identify subgroups who are at the highest risk of cardiovascular mortality. Numerous difficulties remain in treating patients with HCM, including obtaining relief of symptoms and preventing SCD, but several new treatment options are currently being evaluated. In the future, randomized trials comparing the major treatment options (eg, pharmacologic therapy, myotomy/myectomy, mitral valve replacement, pacemaker implantation, and nonsurgical septal reduction) will be needed to provide guidance concerning the optimal treatment of patients with HCM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-1064, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lerakis
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Sheahan
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Stouffer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017725:Ventricular Pressure