India, April 28 -- Experiencing breathlessness, fatigue, or chest discomfort can be worrying, and many people often assume these symptoms are related to heart blockage or coronary artery disease. However, in some cases, these warning signs may indicate a different condition altogether - Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic disorder that directly affects the heart muscle. When the thickened muscle obstructs the flow of blood leaving the heart, the condition is known as obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (oHCM).

HCM develops when the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, particularly in the walls of the left ventricle. This thickening can reduce the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently and may also make the heart muscle ...