hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
A doctor shows a patient a diagram of a heart with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Noun: A heart condition characterized by abnormal thickening (hypertrophy) of the heart muscle, particularly the left ventricle. This thickening makes the muscle stiff, preventing the heart from relaxing and filling properly with blood between beats, which ultimately reduces its pumping efficiency.
This is a medical term used specifically to name a diagnosed cardiac disorder. It is typically used in clinical, scientific, and patient education contexts. - It is often abbreviated as HCM. - It functions as a countable noun (e.g., a case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).
- The patient was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after experiencing shortness of breath.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes.
- Genetic testing confirmed the familial link for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Obstructive vs. Non-obstructive: In clinical detail, HCM is often categorized. Obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM) involves a blockage of blood flow out of the heart, while non-obstructive does not.
- Asymmetric septal hypertrophy: A common specific finding in HCM where the wall (septum) between the heart's lower chambers is disproportionately thickened.
- HCM: The standard acronym.
- Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM): A subtype.
- Cardiomyopathy: The broader category of heart muscle diseases.
- Hypertrophy: The general process of enlargement or thickening of an organ or tissue.
- Idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS): An older term for the obstructive form.
- Hypertrophic heart disease: A less specific synonym.
- Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Emphasizes the genetic, inherited nature of the condition.
- Sudden cardiac death risk in HCM: A common phrase in cardiology discussing a major concern associated with this condition.
This is a fixed medical compound noun. Its meaning is precise and should not be interpreted by analyzing "hypertrophic" (excessive growth) and "cardiomyopathy" (heart muscle disease) separately in a general context, as the combination refers to this specific pathological entity.
A doctor shows a patient a diagram of a heart with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- a disorder in which the heart muscle is so strong that it does not relax enough to fill with the heart with blood and so has reduced pumping ability