Prevention

There is no known prevention for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. But it's important to identify the condition as early as possible to guide treatment and prevent complications.

If you have a first-degree relative — a parent, sibling or child — with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, doctors may recommend genetic testing to screen for the condition. However, not everyone with HCM has a currently detectable mutation. Also, some insurance companies may not cover genetic testing.

If genetic testing isn't done, or if the results aren't helpful, then your doctor may recommend echocardiograms on a regular basis if you have a family member with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Adolescents and competitive athletes should be screened once a year. Adults who don't compete in athletics should be screened every five years.