6. Heart Murmurs – The Unusual Symphony of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
One symptom of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, often detected by healthcare professionals, is a heart murmur. A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat. Doctors can hear these sounds, akin to a whooshing or swishing, with a stethoscope.
In the context of HCM, heart murmurs result from the turbulent blood flow due to the thickened heart muscle. This thickening can cause obstruction, and as blood struggles to pass, it creates these abnormal sounds.
Although heart murmurs are usually discovered during routine medical examinations, knowing about them aids in better understanding HCM’s comprehensive symptomatology. Not all heart murmurs are a cause for concern. However, if it is a result of HCM, it’s a sign of a disrupted blood flow, warranting further investigation and management.
While patients cannot recognize heart murmurs themselves, being informed about this symptom can help them better understand the feedback given by their healthcare providers. It aids in informed discussions about the condition and contributes to shared decision-making for disease management. (6)
