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Investigating the Pathogenesis of MYH7 Mutation Gly823Glu in Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy using a Mouse Model
Published on: August 8, 2022
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Challenging the Status Quo?
John Younger1, Ada Lo2, Louise McCormack1
1Department of Cardiology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
Insights
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic heart disorder, is increasingly understood beyond a single gene. Advances in imaging and risk stratification are transforming it into a treatable chronic condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Genetic Cardiology
- Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases
Background:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most prevalent inherited cardiovascular disease.
- Historically viewed as a single-gene disorder affecting the sarcomere, recent research questions this hypothesis.
- HCM is a significant cause of sudden cardiac death, particularly in younger individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolving understanding of HCM.
- To highlight the role of multimodality imaging in diagnosis and management.
- To discuss the transition of HCM from a cause of sudden death to a manageable chronic illness.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature and clinical studies.
- Analysis of advancements in genetic research and phenotyping.
- Evaluation of the impact of multimodality imaging techniques.
Main Results:
- HCM's etiology is more complex than initially thought, challenging the single-gene hypothesis.
- Multimodality imaging improves early diagnosis, phenotyping, and identification of treatable conditions.
- While still a risk for sudden death, HCM management has improved, reducing mortality in younger populations.
Conclusions:
- HCM management has shifted towards treating it as a chronic, manageable condition.
- Improved risk stratification and early intervention are key to better patient outcomes.
- Continued research into HCM genetics and phenotyping is crucial for advancing care.
Abstract:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common cardiovascular genetic disorder. While our mechanistic understanding has been informed by elegant gene discovery studies that led to the term "disease of the sarcomere", more recent investigations have challenged the single-gene hypothesis. Multimodality imaging has allowed better phenotyping to facilitate early diagnosis, identify treatable phenocopies, and guide management. While HCM remains an important cause of sudden death, recent studies have reported a substantial cumulative burden of heart failure and atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and older individuals. Nonetheless, improvements in risk stratification have allowed early intervention to transition HCM from being a common cause of sudden death in the young to a treatable chronic disease.
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