Medical Encyclopedia
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:
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narrowing the outflow of the ventricle
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reducing the ability of the heart to relax and fill with blood during the relaxation phase
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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: 5/15/2008
Updated by: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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