Causes

Recent advances in genetic research have revealed that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disease. People who have defects in the genes controlling heart muscle growth are predisposed to developing HCM. These genetic defects or mutations make the heart muscle develop abnormally, causing thickening that can interfere with its pumping efficiency.

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This section contains more information on:

• Genetic causes
• How the heart changes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy