Do you have trouble catching your breath because of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)? This condition causes the heart muscle to become too thick, which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. Many people with HCM don’t notice symptoms, but others may feel short of breath.

It can be scary when you feel like you can’t breathe. The good news is that there are ways to manage shortness of breath that can help you take care of yourself with HCM.

What Is Shortness of Breath?

Shortness of breath, also called dyspnea, is the feeling of not getting enough air or having trouble breathing. It may feel like you’re working too hard to breathe for the amount of activity you’re doing, or you can’t quite catch your breath. You may feel like your chest is tight, like you can’t catch your breath no matter what you do, or like something heavy is sitting on your chest.

Why Does Shortness of Breath Happen With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?

Shortness of breath in HCM can happen for a few reasons. When the walls of the heart become thickened, it can block or limit oxygen-rich blood from leaving the heart and traveling through the body. The heart’s stiffness and weakness can also cause blood to back up into the lungs. This can lead to fluid buildup and even more shortness of breath.

In HCM, the abnormally thickened walls of the heart prevent oxygen-rich blood from leaving the heart and traveling through the body.

When your body isn’t getting enough oxygen, it tells your lungs to work harder to make up for it. This can make you feel like you can’t catch your breath.

When you notice shortness of breath, you’ll need to take steps to manage it. If it’s a new symptom or if it’s getting worse and lasts more than a few minutes, seek help or talk to your cardiologist right away.

Tips for Managing Shortness of Breath From Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

There are a few steps you can take to help manage shortness of breath related to HCM.

1. Find an Effective Treatment for Your Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

There are many treatment options for HCM. Ask your doctor how each option may affect your symptoms, including shortness of breath.

Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, medications, or medical procedures to help treat HCM. You’ll also need regular follow-up appointments so your care team can monitor how well your heart is working.

Common medications include:

• Calcium channel blockers
• Beta-blockers
• A myosin inhibitor
• A sodium channel blocker

These medications can help relax your heart muscle. They can also help improve blood flow both to and from the heart. If your heart is beating too fast or irregularly, there are medications that can help with that, too. Your doctor may also recommend avoiding certain medications, depending on your symptoms and how your heart is functioning.

If medications aren’t enough, there are several procedures available to help your heart work better. Your cardiologist will recommend the option that is best for your situation. Implantable devices are also an option for some people with HCM.

2. Watch Your Diet and Quit Smoking, if You Smoke

Eating well, limiting alcohol, and quitting smoking can all help you manage your shortness of breath and improve your heart health.

A diet full of fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, and whole grains can help improve your heart’s overall function.

Alcohol can cause heart problems that reduce how much blood can flow to your body. It can also contribute to weight gain, which can make HCM symptoms worse. Drinking too much alcohol, whether occasionally or regularly, can cause irregular heartbeats that are hard to manage, especially if you have HCM.

Smoking can cause another medical condition that makes the arteries around your heart narrow, leading to coronary artery disease. When this condition happens along with HCM, your symptoms may intensify.

Smoking may worsen HCM symptoms like shortness of breath.

If you have symptoms of heart failure, you may need to limit your diet even more. Your team of healthcare professionals may ask you to limit how much salt you eat.

If you’re not sure what to eat or need help quitting alcohol or smoking, reach out to your doctor. They can offer support and share helpful tools to make these changes feel more manageable.

3. Exercise Under Medical Supervision

Exercising is helpful for HCM, as long as you do it with the guidance of your cardiology team. HCM can cause problems during intense exercise. Your doctor may limit certain activities or ask you to stop certain types of competitive sports, but you may still be able to do low- to moderate-intensity recreational exercise. For example, your doctor may ask you to avoid high-intensity workouts or lifting heavy weights.

Your doctor may also give you specific instructions about when and how to exercise or what to look for when you’re exercising. They may ask you to stay well-hydrated before physical activity and avoid exercising on hot days.

If you start to feel short of breath during exercise, stop and contact your healthcare team.

4. Track Your Blood Pressure

Hypertension (high blood pressure) can make HCM symptoms worse. If this is the case, your doctor may recommend tracking your blood pressure at home. They may also prescribe blood pressure medications to help control it.

If you have the obstructive type of HCM (a type where blood has trouble leaving the heart), some blood pressure drugs that relax blood vessels can sometimes make the blockage worse. That can increase shortness of breath or cause dizziness. Your cardiologist will choose your medications carefully. They may avoid these medications or start them at a low dose and monitor you closely.

Don’t start or stop any blood pressure medicine on your own. The right medication can help, but the wrong one can make your symptoms worse. Always follow your healthcare provider’s plan.

When To Seek Emergency Help

Call for emergency medical help if you think you may be having a heart attack. If you have shortness of breath along with any of the following symptoms, seek medical care right away. The symptoms you should look for include:

• Sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Lightheadedness
• Weakness
• Chest pain or an unusual feeling in the chest
• An unusual feeling in your abdomen, neck, jaw, or shoulders
• Palpitations (very quick or very irregular heartbeats)

You should also seek medical help if you’re experiencing signs of heart failure, another heart disease that may develop in people with HCM. Signs of heart failure may include coughing up foamy or pink mucus or having breathing problems that keep getting worse.

Make sure the people around you know to call for help if you pass out. It’s always safer to get emergency care in these situations. If it turns out not to be an emergency, you can just go home afterward.

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