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Sudden death
Approximately 1 percent of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will die suddenly, with little or no warning. Anyone who has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy should be evaluated and counseled for risk of sudden death by a cardiologist experienced with sudden death from HCM. Sudden death can occur in people who are symptom-free and don't realize they have HCM.
The risk factors for sudden death are:
- Previous resuscitation from a cardiac arrest.
- Family history of sudden death.
- Myocardium (heart muscle) thickness greater than 30 millimeters, especially in children and young adults.
- Repetitive fainting spells that cannot be attributed to some other cause.
- Abnormal heart rhythms recorded during continuous electrocardiography.
- Abnormal changes in blood pressure during an exercise stress test.
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