Overview

Overview

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a complex type of heart disease that affects the heart muscle. HCM causes thickening of the heart muscle (especially the ventricles, or lower heart chambers), left ventricular stiffness, mitral valve changes and cellular changes.

At Cleveland Clinic's Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, we have a special interest in treating Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Since 1978, we have treated thousands of patients and the numbers are increasing each year.

What We Treat

What We Treat

Cleveland Clinic's Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center is a multidisciplinary specialty treatment group dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of HCM in individuals and family members. We bring together clinicians that specialize in HCM, including physicians and nurses from Cardiovascular Medicine, Genetics, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Pediatric Cardiology, and Psychology with expertise in diagnostic and genetic testing, medical management, and interventional and surgical procedures for patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In addition, we are involved in multiple research studies that provide patients with access to cutting edge novel therapies and diagnostic modalities.new method of diagnostic testing.

To learn more about other types of cardiomyopathy, see What is Cardiomyopathy?

Why choose Cleveland Clinic for your care?

Our outcomes speak for themselves. Please review our facts and figures and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Doctors

Doctors

Milind Desai, MD, MBA – Center Director

Our Medical Team

Cardiovascular Medicine and Imaging

Cardiovascular specialists use the latest techniques, such as tissue Doppler imaging, color M-Mode Doppler, transesophageal echocardiography, MR and CT help to diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and determine the best treatment. This group of physicians will evaluate you and begin to develop your plan of care. This will include risk stratification for sudden cardiac death as well as symptom relief from obstruction to flow of blood. Subsequently, based on your evaluation, they may refer you to their colleagues in electrophysiology, interventional cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery.

Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Electrophysiology and Pacing

In some patients, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) devices are required to prevent sudden death in patients with HCM. We have a team of electrophysiologists who specialize in rhythm disorders and devices who are consulted as needed for patients with HCM.

Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Heart Failure and Transplantation

Some patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may require evaluation by heart failure specialists to provide the best therapies for optimal treatment of heart failure.

Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Invasive Cardiology

Interventionalists who are part of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center have experience with alcohol ablation, an interventional approach, used in select patients to treat septal enlargement in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients.

Cardiothoracic Surgery

The surgical procedure for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is called septal myectomy. In some cases, surgery may also be required to repair heart valves affected by HCM.

Cardiovascular Surgeons

Cardiothoracic Anesthesia

Pediatric Cardiology

Our younger patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy require a specialized approached by a cardiologist pediatrician.

Pediatric & Congenital Heart Surgery

Other Specialties

Other specialties are often needed to assist in evaluating family members with HCM or assisting with care or treatment of a condition. These medical professionals are experts in their field and have a particular specialty interest in the treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Cardiovascular Clinical Genetics

  • Wilson Tang, MD
  • Christina Rigelsky, MS, CGC
  • Diane Clements, MS, CGC
  • Brittany Psensky, MS, CGC

Learn more about Cardiovascular Clinical Genetics.

Psychiatry and Psychology

Appointments

Appointments

By Phone

To make an appointment by phone:

New Patients:  please call 216.442.9426 (216-442-9HCM) to speak to our Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center team.

For follow up appointments, please call Cardiology Appointments at 216.444.6697 or call toll free 800.223.2273, extension 46697
Questions?  We are here to answer your questions.  Give us a call at 216.442.9426 (216-442-9HCM) or email hcm@ccf.org to speak to our Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center team.
Or Request an Appointment online.

Online

Use our secure online form to submit an appointment request 24/7. We will receive it and follow-up with you as soon as possible.

Physician Referrals

Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (ET):
toll-free 800.223.2273, ext. 49162

Also, can use 216-442-9HCM or hcm@ccf.org and your message will be returned within 1-2 business days.

Directions

Go to Desk J1 - 5, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

Appointment Information

What to Expect

Whether you are coming to Cleveland Clinic from around the corner or around the world, we want you to know what to expect before, during and after your visit. If you have any questions while reviewing this information, please contact us. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Before your appointment

If you are scheduled at least one week away, you will be asked to send in your records, including medical history, test results and films (such as echocardiogram, chest x-ray, MRI or CT as applicable). All information should be sent in the same package (clearly marked with your name and address) via Airborne Express, Federal Express, or certified U.S. mail (make sure you have a tracking number) to the physician with which you have an appointment. The address is:

Physician Name
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue – Desk J1 - 5
Cleveland, OH 44195

Learn other ways for Cleveland Clinic to obtain records through Care Everywhere, Fax and Image Upload

If you are scheduled less than one week out, please bring your records to your appointment.

Travel to Cleveland Clinic

When you make your appointment, we would like to make traveling to Cleveland Clinic as easy as possible. Information on travel to the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.

During your appointment

You will meet with a nurse or a nurse practitioner (NP) who will collect your information, and begin the documentation process.

Depending on where you are in the diagnosis and treatment of your hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, you may be sent for specialized blood tests and imaging tests (electrocardiogram, comprehensive transthoracic echocardiogram, transesophageal echocardiogram, cardiac MR and multidetector CT scanning). All imaging tests will be interpreted by imaging specialists within the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center.

You will also meet with your HCM Center cardiologist who reviews your records and takes a medical history, performs a physical exam, and advises on consultations with other specialists (cardiac surgeons, invasive cardiologist, and others) within the Center as needed. If you need to meet with one of the multidisciplinary specialists, they will be consulted within a day. The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center Cardiologist will provide you with a diagnosis and plan of care within 1 to 2 days, depending on testing.

How long will you need to stay at Cleveland Clinic?

Unless a treatment is scheduled at the time of your visit, to complete all testing, you will need to stay in the Cleveland area for 1 to 2 days.

After your visit

Follow up is individualized to the patient. There is an opportunity for virtual visit follow-up as well.

Research

Research

For Patients

Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute physicians, surgeons, and researchers continue to research into new treatments and therapies with the goal of improving patient care and outcomes into the future.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials (or research studies) help us create the medicine of tomorrow. They provide hope through offering testing of new drugs, new surgical techniques or other treatments before they are widely available.

We can help you access hundreds of clinical trials across all specialty areas. Our new searchable online trials tool makes identifying treatment opportunities easier than ever.

Resources

Resources

News

Videos

Podcast

Publications

Publications

Please find a selection of publications from National Library of Medicine PubMed