Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Cardiovascular Disorders
Number of Conditions: 2
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Specialty: Genetics
Category: Genetic Contributions to Common Diseases
Sub-category: Cardiovascular Disorders
Symptoms:
shortness of breath; chest pain; fainting (syncope); palpitations; fatigue; sudden cardiac arrest in severe cases
Root Cause:
Genetic mutations in sarcomeric proteins lead to abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, particularly in the left ventricle, impairing normal function.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Echocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG), genetic testing, cardiac MRI, and family history assessment.
Treatment:
Lifestyle changes, medications, surgical interventions (myectomy), septal ablation, or implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
Medications:
Beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol ), calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil ), and antiarrhythmic drugs (e.g., amiodarone ). Beta-blockers help reduce heart rate and workload, while calcium channel blockers improve relaxation of the heart muscle.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Approximately 1 in 500 individuals worldwide; higher in families with known genetic mutations.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of HCM, genetic mutations in sarcomeric proteins, young age at diagnosis.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases can be managed effectively, but the risk of sudden cardiac death remains, especially in untreated or undiagnosed cases.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Arrhythmias, heart failure, stroke, and sudden cardiac death.
Long QT Syndrome
Specialty: Genetics
Category: Genetic Contributions to Common Diseases
Sub-category: Cardiovascular Disorders
Symptoms:
prolonged heartbeats (qt interval); palpitations; fainting; seizures; sudden cardiac arrest
Root Cause:
Genetic mutations affecting ion channels (potassium, sodium) in the heart, causing abnormal electrical signaling.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG), genetic testing, stress testing, and family history.
Treatment:
Lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes surgical implantation of an ICD or left cardiac sympathetic denervation surgery.
Medications:
Beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol , nadolol ) to reduce the heart rate and prevent arrhythmias. In some cases, potassium supplements or antiarrhythmic drugs are used.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Approximately 1 in 2,500 individuals; can be inherited or acquired (from medication or electrolyte imbalances).
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of sudden cardiac death, certain genetic mutations, use of QT-prolonging medications.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Treatable if diagnosed early; untreated cases have a high risk of sudden cardiac death.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Ventricular arrhythmias, syncope, sudden cardiac arrest.