Cardiovascular Diseases in Minnesota

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic

"The primary focus of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic is providing the appropriate therapy for each individual patient ... Individualizing therapy to improve patient symptoms is the thing that we do most."

Steve R. Ommen, M.D.
Clinical Director

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic predisposition to abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, affects one in 500 Americans, making it more common than muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis or AIDS. HCM affects each person differently; there is no "typical" HCM patient and no standard treatment. The skilled cardiologists at Mayo Clinic's Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic work closely with each patient, formulating an individualized treatment plan.

Mayo Clinic provides experience and expertise

People with HCM need the highly individualized therapy that Mayo Clinic offers. Some of the best treatments for HCM run counter to the way that other heart diseases are treated, making it very important that those with the disease be evaluated at a specialized center. Mayo Clinic's Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic is one of the few HCM clinics in North America and treats more patients than any other center. Our cardiologists are experts in the special characteristics of HCM, and Mayo's method of comprehensive assessment more accurately finds the right therapy for each patient.

In addition to medical treatment, the nurses and physicians staffing the HCM clinic provide outstanding education and support for their patients. Cardiologists are available for consultation, and integrated communication and documentation ensures that the unique aspects of each patient's case are considered at follow-up visits. Following the first consultation, knowledgeable clinic staff is available by phone for questions or concerns.

Treatment options, including medication-based therapies, pacemakers, defibrillators, catheter-based (ablation) procedures, and cardiac surgery, are available from the Mayo Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy team. The gold-standard therapy for highly symptomatic patients with HCM is septal myectomy, which involves surgery to remove part of the overgrown heart muscle and restore normal blood flow. As one of the most experienced teams in the world, Mayo Clinic physicians have observed excellent long-term outcomes. Research has shown that patients who undergo a myectomy at Mayo Clinic can expect marked improvement in symptoms and an overall life expectancy that is similar to patients without heart disease.

When you are treated at Mayo Clinic, you are in trusted hands. If consultation is needed on a related medical problem, multiple experts can be brought together to examine any problem.

Family connections

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease with a strong genetic component. When a diagnosis is made at the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic, it is recommended that the patient's relatives undergo testing for the disease. Mayo's special research program in molecular genetics of HCM is exploring new and emerging information on the genetics of the disease, and the implications for diagnosis and treatment.

Appointments

To schedule an appointment in the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic, please call (507) 538-1434.

Physician Staff

Steve R. Ommen, M.D., Clinical Director
William K. Freeman, M.D.
Bernard J. Gersh, M.D.
Kyle W. Klarich, M.D.
Rick A. Nishimura, M.D.
Paul Sorajja, M.D.
A. Jamil Tajik, M.D.