Which pathological condition of the heart is known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has been recently recognized as the most common inherited cardiovascular disorder, affecting 1 in 500 adults worldwide. HCM is characterized by myocyte hypertrophy resulting in thickening of the ventricular wall, myocyte disarray, interstitial and/or replacement fibrosis, decreased ventricular cavity volume and diastolic dysfunction. HCM is also the most common cause of sudden death in the young particularly among athletes. A large proportion of patients diagnosed with HCM have mutations in sarcomeric proteins. HCM is the most prevalent genetic disorder affecting the heart and is typically inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Adults with cardiomyopathy suffer SCD or adverse events such as stroke and heart failure from HCM.