THURSDAY, May 9, 2024 (HealthDay News) — In a new clinical guideline issued by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association and published online May 8 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Circulation, recommendations are presented for the management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Steve R. Ommen, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues conducted a comprehensive literature review to develop recommendations for guiding clinicians in the management of HCM.

The authors note that shared decision-making is necessary for providing the best clinical care. For optimizing care, referral to multidisciplinary HCM centers with appropriate expertise can be important, although the primary cardiology team can initiate evaluation, treatment, and longitudinal care. Cornerstones of care include careful ascertainment of family history, counseling about the potential for genetic transmission, and options for genetic testing. One important component of management is assessing a patient’s risk for sudden cardiac death. The risk factors for sudden cardiac death carry different weights and components for children versus adults with HCM. For patients with symptomatic obstructive HCM, cardiac myosin inhibitors are now available for treatment. These agents can be beneficial for patients who do not derive adequate symptom relief from first-line drug therapy. Exercise stress testing is helpful for determining exercise tolerance. Data affirm that the beneficial effects of exercise on general health apply to HCM.

“Incorporating the most recent data, this new guideline equips clinicians with the latest recommendations for the treatment of HCM,” Ommen said in a statement. “We’re seeing more evidence that patients with HCM can return to their normal daily lives with proper care and management.”

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

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