Etymed
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Definition
A cardiac condition characterized by abnormal thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) leading to impaired heart function
Clinical context
A 35-year-old competitive swimmer presents to the emergency department with sudden onset chest pain and shortness of breath during training. On examination, a harsh systolic murmur is heard at the left sternal border. Echocardiography reveals asymmetric septal hypertrophy with outflow tract obstruction. The patient has a family history of sudden cardiac death. This condition is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.
Mnemonic
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - 'Hype' thickens the heart muscle, causing 'Trophy' of the myocardium with 'Outflow' obstruction
These morphemes also unlock…
- hyper- — above; excessive
- troph/o — nourishment; development
- -ic — pertaining to
- cardi/o — heart
- my/o — muscle
- -pathy — disease