Heart Failure Genetic?

  My husband is 27 and was just diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.  My question is:  His mother has been  recently diagnosed with SVT and she has been in the emergency room numerous times lately.  She is on medication, but she has never seen a cardiologist, had an echo, or a MUGA.  Could she possibly have the same thing that my husband has?
  Jen

[CCF Cardio MD - MTR]

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Dear Jen, thank you for your question.  Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM) can be genetically transmitted, but the usual pattern is that an older family member is diagnosed with HOCM and younger family members need to be screened.  SVT is not necessarily related to HOCM, so your husband's mother may have an unrelated condition.  However, she may need an echo for the SVT and such a test could exclude HOCM.  Most often, symptoms that lead to the diagnosis of HOCM occur in younger patients (20's - 40's).  

I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.  Good luck.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.   The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.