Prognosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with asymmetric septal hypertrophy

Summary Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with asymmetric septal hypertrophy is not an uncommon disorder in the older adult population, and frequently masquerades as coronary artery disease. Most symptomatic patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosed as adults have a benign course with mild disability lasting for many years. Associated significant obstructive coronary artery disease was present in 22% of our patients and probably represents the cause of symptoms and, therefore, investigation in some of our patients rather than a high incidence of coronary disease in patients with asymmetric septal hypertrophy. Sudden death was not common in our patients (3.6%) and occurred at 11 years after diagnosis in a patient with associated coronary artery disease and 4 years after diagnostic study in a patient with uncomplicated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.