An overview of pharmacotherapy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Current speculations and clinical perspectives

Abstract

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiac disease. Its clinical course is variable, ranging from a benign asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic course throughout life, to severe symptoms (dyspnea, angina, palpitations) or cardiovascular events (syncope and thromboembolism). Sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains the most striking manifestation of the disease, affecting a minority of patients. This review focuses on the medical treatments applied according to the symptomatology in obstructive and nonobstructive HCM; a special reference is made to atrial fibrillation and arterial hypertension, which often coexist with the disease. Current literature about the pharmaceutical prevention of SCD is also analyzed and novel pharmacologic agents and approaches that may represent the future management of HCM are critically reviewed. The analysis of interventional techniques that are used in cases of medical treatment failure is avoided. Rather than enumerating clinical studies and guidelines, this review provides a concise and contemporary analysis of HCM pharmacotherapy, developing applicable algorithms for clinicians and highlighting promising future drug regimens.