My Dr. Read a echo cardiogram result that was from a test done a few years ago. we were just browsing my medical record and found this!. No one EVER told me it was in there. This is a new Dr. by the way. Anyway. He explained that it basically means a thickening of my heart muscles? walls? or something like that? He ordered another 2 D echo (that is what he called it) Has anybody ever heard of this condition and what is it!! And, last but not least. Is it really really bad? I'm a recent 37 yr old ! lol.. Oct baby. And I feel I'm too young to die!. I need some answers and everybody is always so helpful on here. What's up ppl? Lemme have. it! BTW I take atenelol for palpitations (3 yrs now).. I don't have high blood pressure (or didn't) and I take xanax for anxiety/panic. Any ideas? Thanks! :confused:

I have the same condition and I am 20. I'm not sure how serious it is my doctor didnt seem very concerned! He told it was mild but just the thought of this has driven me crazy. I found out after having an Echo done a few weeks ago. I have scheduled an appointment with a cardiologist soon and hopefully ill get some answers then. Unlike you, I do have high blood pressure but it was sudden onset. So far no doctor has been able to find a cause for it.

Wow! :eek: Sorry to hear about your condition, and how the doc seems to have hid this info from you!!. Is he the doctor that prescribed atenolol for you? At least he prescribed a medicine, that I have just read, is one that is used to treat this condition.The only risk factor that I found during my limited search, was a family history of it. Do you know of anyone else in your family that may have had this? I also read that it is usually discovered in younger patients.Here is some general info:
In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the growth and arrangement of muscle fibers are abnormal, leading to thickened heart walls. The greatest thickening tends to occur in the left ventricle (the heart's main pumping chamber), especially in the septum, the wall that separates the left and right ventricles. The thickening reduces the size of the pumping chamber and obstructs blood flow. It also prevents the heart from properly relaxing between beats and so filling with blood. Eventually, this limits the pumping action.That sounds serious to me and I'm glad your new doctor has ordered another echocardiogram. This condition can cause arrhythmias, because the thickening muscle tissue can interfere with the electrical impulses that control the beat of the heart. I would watch for any symptoms associated with increasing complications of this condition, such as arrhythmias, syncope (fainting) from exertion, breathlessness, chest discomfort, pounding heartbeat, and fatigue in general.Webster defines hypertrophy as; (1 : excessive development of an organ or part; specifically : increase in bulk (as by thickening of muscle fibers) without multiplication of parts.
(2 : exaggerated growth or complexity.If the thickening septum interferes with the heart's pumping action, different types of surgery can be performed. One method is catheter ablation (ablation = surgical removal), by injecting ethanol around the thickened septal area to destroy part of the excess growth, that is interfering with the function of the left ventricle. This procedure is known as TRANSCORONARY ABLATION OF SEPTAL HYPERTROPHY. Obviously, you are not at the point where you should worry about surgery. There are always different degrees or stages in heart disease. You may only have a slight increase in the size of your septum. Lets hope and pray. I know nothing about this condition, other than from what I read, and am just writing this for your knowledge. Knowledge is power. Use it to help heal yourself. I hope the upcoming test shows that it has gone, or that the first test was incorrect :)