MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the thickening of the muscles that make up the heart. The thickening may interfere with the normal functioning of the heart by:

narrowing the outflow of the ventricle
reducing the ability of the heart to relax and fill with blood during the relaxation phase
reducing the ability of the valves of the heart to function properly

Any situation that increases the contraction or rate of contraction of the heart muscle can worsen these symptoms.

Update Date: 7/17/2006

Updated by: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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