Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a relatively common disorder. Historically, it has been referred to as idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. HOCM is a significant cause of sudden cardiac death in young people, including well-trained athletes, affecting men and women equally across all races. In most patients, it results from asymmetric septal hypertrophy causing outflow obstruction of the left ventricle. It is difficult to diagnose and presents a challenge to medical health professionals in evaluating at-risk athletes. Unfortunately, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is often not diagnosed until a significant cardiac event has occurred.
The hypertrophy can occur in any segment of the left ventricle but is most common in the interventricular septum. This often results in obstruction of blood flow through the left ventricular outflow tract. HOCM is a genetic disorder. Defects in several genes have been identified that result in septal hypertrophy. The condition is usually asymptomatic in children but may first present with sudden death in teenagers and adolescents.
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