Ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: From bench to bedside

Hua Shen1, Shi-Yong Dong2, Ming-Shi Ren1,3

  • 1Division of Adult Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.

Insights

Identifying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients at risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) is crucial. Current risk scores are insufficient, necessitating novel molecular insights and personalized prevention strategies for ventricular arrhythmias.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients face risks of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD).
  • Current risk stratification algorithms by ACC/AHA and ESC have limitations in identifying high-risk early-stage HCM patients.
  • SCD can occur unexpectedly, even in young, asymptomatic individuals, highlighting the need for new risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review molecular mechanisms underlying ventricular arrhythmias and SCD in HCM.
  • To explore novel therapeutic targets and personalized prevention strategies for SCD in HCM.

Main Methods:

  • Review of studies utilizing surgical specimens, transgenic animal models, and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).
  • Analysis of molecular pathways including ion channel remodeling and calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis.
  • Evaluation of current and emerging therapeutic interventions.

Main Results:

  • Ion channel remodeling, Ca2+ dysregulation, and altered myofilament sensitivity contribute to arrhythmogenesis in HCM.
  • These molecular changes can lead to altered action potential duration (APD), reentry, and triggered activities (EADs, DADs).
  • Novel drugs targeting late sodium current and myosin show promise in preventing HCM-related arrhythmias.

Conclusions:

  • Existing SCD risk scores are inadequate for early-stage HCM.
  • Understanding molecular mechanisms is key to developing effective SCD prevention strategies.
  • Personalized prevention combining genetic screening, hiPSC-CM testing, machine learning, and advanced ECG is essential for managing SCD risk in HCM.

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