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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the thickening of the muscles that make up the heart. The thickening may interfere with the normal functioning of the heart by:

Narrowing the outflow of the ventricle
Reducing the ability of the heart to relax and fill with blood during the relaxation phase
Impairing the ability of the valves of the heart to function properly

Any situation that increases the rate or force of contraction of the heart muscle can worsen these symptoms.

Reviewed last on: 6/8/2008
Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.

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