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What is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease characterised by abnormal thickening of the ventricular walls. In some patients, the thickened muscle obstructs blood flow; in others, the disease is non-obstructive. HCM can be inherited and may occur at different ages.

What is the Importance of Timely Treatment?

Timely treatment of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy helps control symptoms, assess whether thickened heart muscle is obstructing blood flow, reduce the risk of complications such as heart failure and arrhythmias, and identify patients who may benefit from an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Regular follow-up also supports long-term heart health by guiding medicines, activity, lifestyle, and family screening.

What are the Common Symptoms of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?

  • Shortness of Breath: Breathlessness may occur during physical activity or, in more advanced cases, at rest.
  • Chest Pain: Some patients experience chest discomfort, particularly during exertion.
  • Palpitations: A sensation of a racing, pounding, or irregular heartbeat may occur because of abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Dizziness: Reduced cardiac output or abnormal rhythms may cause lightheadedness, particularly during activity.
  • Fainting: Episodes of unexplained fainting may occur and require medical evaluation, especially in people with known HCM.
  • Fatigue: Reduced ability of the heart to fill or pump efficiently can lead to tiredness and reduced exercise tolerance.

Causes and Risk Factors of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Causes

  • Inherited Genetic Changes: Most familial HCM is linked to genetic variants that affect proteins involved in heart muscle contraction.
  • Spontaneous Genetic Changes: Some patients develop HCM without a known family history.
  • Unexplained Causes: In some individuals, no specific genetic or other cause is identified.
  • Associated Conditions: Some heart-muscle disorders can produce thickening that resembles HCM and require careful evaluation to distinguish them from true HCM.

Risk Factors

  • Family History: Having a first-degree relative with HCM or unexplained sudden cardiac death can increase risk.
  • Genetic Predisposition: Inherited disease-causing variants can increase susceptibility.
  • Age: HCM can become apparent during childhood, adolescence, adulthood, or later life.
  • Previous Abnormal Cardiac Findings: Unexplained heart-muscle thickening or abnormal ECG findings may prompt further assessment.
  • Family History of Sudden Cardiac Death: This may be an important factor in individual risk assessment.

Latest Research and Technologies in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Turkey

  • Recent advances in HCM care include cardiac MRI for detailed assessment of heart muscle thickness and scar tissue, advanced echocardiography for evaluating blood-flow obstruction, and genetic testing for selected patients and families. Newer cardiac myosin inhibitors, provide a targeted treatment option for selected adults with symptomatic obstructive HCM. Advanced risk assessment also helps identify patients who may benefit from ICDs, while specialised centres can offer septal reduction procedures, including surgical myectomy and selected catheter-based approaches.

Treatment options for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Septal Myectomy: This open-heart surgical procedure (Morrow procedure) remains the gold-standard intervention to physically excise a portion of the hypertrophied septum and relieve left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction.

Alcohol Septal Ablation: A minimally invasive, catheter-based alternative to surgery where pure alcohol is injected into a septal branch artery to induce a localised controlled infarction, thinning the muscle to reduce obstruction.

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) : some HCM patients have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, and ICD decisions are based on individual risk assessment.


Cost Start From 20000Explore Options

Heart Transplantation : For the small percentage of HCM patients who progress to end-stage, non-obstructive "burnt-out" heart failure, an orthotopic heart transplant is the final definitive option

  • Clinical assessment:
    • Medical and Family History: Assessment of symptoms, exercise tolerance, previous fainting, family history of HCM, and sudden cardiac death.
    • Physical Examination: Evaluation for heart murmurs, abnormal heart sounds, blood pressure changes, and signs of heart failure.
    • Electrocardiogram (ECG): May identify abnormal electrical patterns associated with HCM.
    • Holter or Ambulatory ECG Monitoring: Detects intermittent arrhythmias that may not appear on a standard ECG.
    • Exercise Testing: May assess exercise capacity, blood pressure response, symptoms, and exercise-related obstruction.
    • Genetic Testing: May be offered to selected patients to identify disease-causing variants and support family screening.
  • Imaging Tests:
    • Echocardiography: The main imaging test used to assess heart-muscle thickness, heart function, valve movement, and obstruction.
    • Cardiac MRI: Provides detailed images of heart structure and can identify myocardial scar and other tissue characteristics.
    • Stress Echocardiography: May reveal obstruction or abnormalities that become apparent during exercise.
    • Chest X-ray: May help evaluate heart size and associated lung findings when clinically indicated.
    • Cardiac CT: Consider in selected patients when additional anatomical information is needed.

MediRehab (a chain of Rehab centres, part of MediGence) provides comprehensive tele-rehabilitation services designed to support hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients in Turkey. These services include:

  • Individualised Exercise: Specialists can recommend appropriate physical activity based on symptoms, disease severity, and individual needs.
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation: Selected patients may benefit from structured, supervised rehabilitation.
  • Physical Conditioning: Gradual activity can help maintain functional capacity while avoiding inappropriate exertion.
  • Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce additional cardiovascular strain.
  • Long-Term Follow-Up: Regular cardiology assessments help monitor symptoms, heart function, rhythm, and response to treatment.
  • Select medicines based on symptoms, obstruction, heart rhythm, and overall heart function. Beta-blockers and certain calcium-channel blockers may help reduce symptoms and improve ventricular filling. Selected patients with obstructive HCM may receive cardiac myosin inhibitors, while antiarrhythmic or anticoagulant medicines may be prescribed when clinically indicated. Treatment should be supervised by a cardiologist experienced in HCM.

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Hospitals for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Turkey

Acibadem University Hospital Atakent: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Acibadem University Hospital Atakent

Istanbul, Turkey

Acibadem University Hospital Atakent located in Istanbul, Turkey is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • Spread over an area of 60,000 square meters
  • It has 300 wards with 8 operating rooms
  • It has an inpatient treatment capacity of 278
  • Intensive care unit bed capacity is of 29 beds
  • The healthcare organisation has several kinds of infrastructure for services such as free parking, cafeteria, Wi-Fi, hairdressing salon, ATM, ergonomic hospital beds, and prayer rooms.
  • The hospital has both standard single rooms and double rooms (24 in number) for the patients.
  • The hospital wards are also equipped with metal handrails, emergency cords, and call buttons for patients with mobility issues.
  • The latest medical technology is present here to treat patients such as MR-LINAC linear accelerator, The da Vinci robot, and TrueBeam Linear Accelerator.
  • The diagnostic department of the hospital has the following equipments:
  • MRI 3 Tesla
  • Full-body MRI
  • Spect CT
  • Flash-CT
  • Ductoscopy (early diagnosis of breast duct cancer)
  • DSA digital angiography
  • Endoultrasonography (EUS)
  • Ultrasonic echography
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Medical Park Ordu Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Medical Park Ordu Hospital

Ordu, Turkey

Apart from in-detail treatment procedures available, Medical Park Ordu Hospital located in Ordu, Turkey has a wide variety of facilities available for International Patients. Some of the facilities which are provided by them are Accommodation, Airport Transfer, Choice of Meals, Interpreter, SIM, TV inside room. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • A total inpatient bed availability of 206 beds including 38 patient observation
  • 47 Intensive Care Beds
  • 19 beds in General Intensive Care Unit
  • 10 in Coronary Intensive Care Unit
  • 6 in Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
  • 12 in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • Medical Oncology Unit
  • Cardiovascular Unit
  • Sleep Laboratory
  • Emergency ward- comprises a CPR room, a first response room, a wound dressing room, a short stay unit, and private observation rooms that protects privacy
  • Observation Rooms
  • 6 full-fledged operating theaters, including 1 reserved for Cardiovascular Surgery operations
  • Every room is furnished with every detail to provide a comfortable stay for patients, such as nurse call system, computer access system, and controllable patient bed in each room
  • Suite rooms that are specially designed for patients with infectious diseases and ensure the required isolation, are put at the disposal of patients in the hospital's inpatient ward
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Medical Park Elazig Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Medical Park Elazig Hospital

Elazig, Turkey

Apart from in-detail treatment procedures available, Medical Park Elazig Hospital located in Elazig, Turkey has a wide variety of facilities available for International Patients. Some of the facilities which are provided by them are Accommodation, Airport Transfer, Choice of Meals, Interpreter, SIM, TV inside room. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • 79 Intensive care beds (19 newborns, 2 angio rooms and 14 bed-post-angio rest room)
  • Capacity of 206 beds
  • 12 suites
  • 13 operating rooms
  • 3 Delivery rooms
  • 66 Polyclinics in 28 branches
  • Fully-equipped conference hall for medical meeting with a capacity of 152 people
  • Nurse-call system in rooms
  • 24*7 Cafeteria/Restaurant
  • Parking-lot with 600 vehicle capacity
  • It aims to provide the best service with state-of-the-art devices such as 1.5 Tesla MR, 128-section CT, virtual angiography unit, and 4-dimensional ultrasonography in imaging units
  • Emergency Radiology Unit
  • Radiation Oncology Unit
  • Chemotherapy Department
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Why Choose Turkey for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment?

  • Experienced Cardiac Specialists: Turkey has cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiac surgeons, and specialists experienced in managing complex heart-muscle disorders.
  • Advanced Cardiac Imaging: Major centres may offer advanced echocardiography, cardiac MRI, CT, and ambulatory rhythm monitoring.
  • Specialised HCM Management: Appropriate patients may have access to medicines, cardiac myosin inhibitors, septal myectomy, alcohol septal ablation, and ICD implantation.
  • Advanced Electrophysiology Services: Specialist centres can evaluate and manage arrhythmias and assess the need for ICDs.
  • Multidisciplinary Care: Cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac surgery, genetics, imaging, rehabilitation, and other specialists can collaborate for complex cases.
  • Genetic Evaluation: Selected patients and families can undergo genetic counselling and testing where appropriate.
  • Personalised Treatment: Management is tailored according to symptoms, obstruction, heart function, arrhythmia risk, and genetic or family history.
  • International Patient Support: Many major Turkey hospitals offer assistance with appointments, treatment coordination, accommodation, and follow-up for international patients.

Frequently Asked Questions

HCM is generally a long-term condition rather than one that is permanently cured. Recovery after procedures such as septal myectomy or alcohol septal ablation varies, while symptom control with medicines may occur gradually. Regular follow-up is important.

Many people with HCM can walk and remain physically active. The appropriate level of activity depends on symptoms, obstruction, heart rhythm, and individual risk, so discuss exercise recommendations with an HCM specialist.

Yes. Major cardiac centres in Turkey may offer advanced tests to assess hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), including echocardiography, cardiac MRI, heart rhythm monitoring, and genetic testing. Some specialist centres also provide treatments such as ICD implantation, septal myectomy, alcohol septal ablation, and advanced electrophysiology procedures for suitable patients. Services and technologies vary by hospital.

Many major Turkish hospitals have international patient departments that help overseas patients with medical records, appointments, treatment coordination, accommodation, interpretation (where available), and follow-up arrangements.

Consider a centre with experience in HCM, advanced cardiac imaging, electrophysiology, genetic evaluation, risk assessment, septal reduction procedures, ICD implantation, and long-term follow-up. A multidisciplinary HCM programme can be particularly valuable for complex cases.

There is no single success rate for HCM treatment because outcomes depend on the type of HCM, symptoms, degree of obstruction, heart function, arrhythmia risk, age, and treatment used. Appropriate treatment can significantly improve symptoms and reduce the risk of complications in selected patients.

Many Turkish cardiac centres have cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiac surgeons, and imaging specialists experienced in diagnosing and managing HCM. Patients should consider the centre's specific expertise and experience with their type of disease.

Risks depend on the treatment. Medicines may cause side effects such as low blood pressure or slow heart rate, while septal myectomy, alcohol septal ablation, ICD implantation, and catheter procedures have specific procedural risks. The treating specialist should discuss individual risks and benefits.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart-muscle condition, not an injury. If someone with HCM develops severe chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness, or a sustained rapid heartbeat, urgent medical evaluation is required.

HCM does not usually cause physical or skeletal deformities. However, severe disease or complications such as heart failure or dangerous arrhythmias may affect physical capacity and quality of life.

Yes. Breathlessness, chest discomfort, fatigue, arrhythmias, activity restrictions, and concerns about inherited disease can affect daily life. Appropriate treatment, monitoring, rehabilitation, and psychological support may help patients maintain function and well-being.

Untreated or inadequately monitored HCM may lead to worsening symptoms, heart failure, atrial or ventricular arrhythmias, blood clots in some patients, and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in a subset of patients. Regular specialist evaluation helps identify and manage these risks.

Inherited HCM cannot generally be prevented. However, people with a family history can undergo appropriate cardiac evaluation and, when indicated, genetic counselling and testing. Managing other cardiovascular risk factors and maintaining regular specialist follow-up can support overall heart health.

Yes. HCM can affect people of any age or sex but is more likely in individuals with a family history or a disease-causing genetic variant associated with HCM. The condition may also be identified during evaluation of unexplained heart-muscle thickening or abnormal ECG findings.

Author

Nimra Haseeb
Nimra Haseeb

MSc Biochemistry

4 Years of Experience

Miss Nimra Haseeb is a medical researcher and a scientific content writer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Biochemistry from Integral University, Lucknow. With strong experience in healthcare research, she specializes in secondary research, clinical data analysis, and evidence-based medical writing. Her work focuses on transforming complex scientific and medical information into clear, accurate, and reliable healthcare content for patients and healthcare audiences. She is also experienced in interpreting medical studies and healthcare trends to deliver well-researched and informative content that supports better health awareness and decision-making. View More

Reviewer

Dr. Nityanand Tripathi
Dr. Nityanand Tripathi

Interventional Cardiologist

29 Years of Experience

With a rich experience of more than 29 years, Dr. Nityanand has gained a vast spectrum of skills and expertise in performing all types of complex cardiac procedures. He is an expert in clinical & interventional cardiology and electrophysiology. He studied his medicine (MBBS) and MD from the Institute of Medical Sciences of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and later completed his DM in Cardiology from the prestigious King George Medical University, Lucknow. View More

Last Reviewed - January 2026