What is the Difference Between Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

The key difference between left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is that left ventricular hypertrophy causes the thickening of the walls of the lower left heart chamber, while hypertrophic cardiomyopathy causes the thickening of the heart muscles, especially in the septum between the two bottom chambers.

Left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are two associated heart conditions. This is because hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can ultimately result in left ventricular hypertrophy. Both these conditions may cause similar symptoms, such as chest pain and fainting. However, they are two different heart conditions with different causes.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Left Ventricular Hypertrophy 
3. What is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
4. Similarities –  Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
5. Left Ventricular Hypertrophy vs Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Left Ventricular Hypertrophy vs Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

What is Left Ventricular Hypertrophy?

Left ventricular hypertrophy is a heart condition that causes the thickening of the walls of the lower left heart chamber or left ventricle, which is the main chamber of the heart. Left ventricular hypertrophy usually develops very gradually. The symptoms of left ventricular hypertrophy may include shortness of breath, swellings of legs, chest pain, especially when exercising, rapid, fluttering, or pounding heartbeats, feeling of lightheadedness, or loss of consciousness, severe headache, difficulty speaking, and weakness of one side of the body. The main causes of this condition may include high blood pressure, narrowing of the aortic valve, and intensive athletic training. Moreover, the complications of left ventricular hypertrophy include heart failure, arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, and sudden cardiac arrest.

Left ventricular hypertrophy can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and heart MRI. Furthermore, treatment options for left ventricular hypertrophy may include medications (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics) and surgeries (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and amyloidosis).

What is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart condition that causes the thickening of the heart muscles. The thickened heart muscle ultimately makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy generally affects the muscular wall or septum between the two bottom chambers of the heart (ventricles). This condition is usually caused by changes in the genes that trigger the heart muscle to thicken.

The symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may include chest pain, fainting, heart murmur, fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeats, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and shortness of breath, especially during exercise. Moreover, the complications resulting from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may include atrial fibrillation, blocked blood flow, mitral valve disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure, fainting, and sudden cardiac death.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, cardiac MRI, stress test, and genetic testing. Furthermore, treatment options for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may include medications (beta blockers (metoprolol), calcium channel blockers (verapamil), heart rhythm drugs such as amiodarone and blood thinners (warfarin), surgeries and other procedures (septal myectomy, septal ablation, and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

What are the Similarities Between Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?

• Left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are two associated heart conditions.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can ultimately lead to left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Both these conditions may cause similar symptoms, such as chest pain and fainting.
• They can cause complications.
• They can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, and electrocardiograms.
• They are treated through specific medications and surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?

Left ventricular hypertrophy is a heart condition that causes the thickening of the walls of the lower left heart chamber, while hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart condition that causes the thickening of the heart muscles, especially in the septum between the two bottom chambers. Thus, this is the key difference between left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, the causes of left ventricular hypertrophy include high blood pressure, narrowing of the aortic valve, and intensive athletic training, while the causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include changes in the sarcomere genes.

The below infographic presents the differences between left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Left Ventricular Hypertrophy vs Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are two associated heart conditions. Both these conditions may cause similar symptoms, such as chest pain and fainting. However, left ventricular hypertrophy is a heart condition that causes the thickening of the walls of the lower left heart chamber, while hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart condition that causes the thickening of the heart muscles, especially in the septum between the two bottom chambers. So, this summarizes the difference between left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Reference:

1. “Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH): Causes, Symptoms and Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
2.“Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Heart left ventricular hypertrophy sa” By Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator – Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator (CC BY 2.5) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Blausen 0166 Cardiomyopathy Hypertrophic” By Blausen Medical Communications (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia