[Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with progressive left ventricular hypertrophy: a case report]

A 64-year-old man was hospitalized in March 1983 for recurrent episodes of dyspnea and palpitation despite medical treatment. At 48 years of age (1967), hypertension was diagnosed, but well controlled by propranolol. At the age of 59 years (1979), his first episode of dyspnea and palpitation was noted, with electrocardiographic (ECG) evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and abnormal Q waves in leads III and a VF. The echocardiogram, however, showed mild LVH with neither asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH) nor systolic anterior movement (SAM). On admission (1983), his blood pressure was 130/70 mmHg, and a grade III systolic murmur was heard along the left sternal border and over the apex. On ECG, the left precordial voltage (Sv1 + Rv5) was diminished and the depth of the Q wave in lead III increased compared with that of 1978. On echocardiography, we observed prominent septal hypertrophy (IVST: 20 mm) with ASH (IVST/PWT = 2.0), SAM, an enlarged left atrium, and a diminished left ventricular (LV) cavity. Left ventricular catheterization showed a pressure gradient of 90 mmHg between the LV apex and outflow tract and histological examination of the bi-ventricular endomyocardial biopsy material showed markedly hypertrophied and mildly disarranged myocardial fibers with bizarre nuclei. We considered that this was an interesting case in which ASH and SAM developed in the progression of LVH during the follow-up period.