The New England journal of medicine
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Sudden death is known to be a possible consequence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Quantification of the risk of sudden death, however, remains imprecise for most patients with this disease. ⋯ In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the magnitude of hypertrophy is directly related to the risk of sudden death and is a strong and independent predictor of prognosis. Young patients with extreme hypertrophy, even those with few or no symptoms, appear to be at substantial long-term risk and deserve consideration for interventions to prevent sudden death. The majority of patients with mild hypertrophy are at low risk and can be reassured regarding their prognosis.