Research

Search the HCMA Website for specific HCM related terms, tests, or other results related information:

What are all those abbreviations?

 

 

Abbreviation 

Meaning

Definition

ACC

 

American College of Cardiology An association of cardiologists.
AED Automated External Defibrillator  

Device that detects life-threatening arrhythmias and delivers a shock while waiting for the emergency medical team. Usually mounted on a wall.

AFIB Atrial Fibrillation  

An arrhythmia (Sometimes AF).

AHA American Heart Association  

An association supporting research and treatment for heart diseases.

Aflutter Atrial Flutter  

An arrhythmia.

ASA  Alcohol Septal Ablation  

Used to reduce septal thickness, not an ablation for AFIB.

AV Aortic Valve  

A valve in the heart.

BP Blood Pressure  

Systolic (squeeze) over diastolic (relax).

CAD Coronary Artery Disease  

Blocked/partly blocked coronary arteries.

COE Center of Excellence  

HCM specialty center certified by the HCMA

CPET CardioPulmonary Exercise Test  

An evaluation of the cardio-pulmonary system during the stress of exercise.

CPR CardioPulmonary Resuscitation  

Emergency chest compressions to help a person in cardiac arrest until an AED or medical team can restore heart function.

CRT Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy  

A pacemaker is used to coordinate the heart's rhythm.

CT Computerized Tomography  

A medical scan, also called a CAT scan.

DCM Dilated Cardiomyopathy  

The heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged.

DOAC Direct Oral AntiCoagulants  

Newer drugs that prevent blood clots 

DVT Deep Vein Thrombosis  

A blood clot, usually in your leg.

ECG/EKG Electrocardiogram  

A snapshot of your heart's rhythm.

Echo Echocardiogram  

Uses sound waves to measure dimensions of your heart and give moving images of the heart walls and valves. Doppler echo shows blood flow.

EF Ejection Fraction  

The percent of blood inside the left ventricle that exits when the heart pumps. (Sometimes LVEF - left ventricular ejection fraction)

EP Electrophysiology or Electrophysiologist  

      Specialty care for heart electrical issues such as arrhythmias.

 

GDMT Guideline-Directed Management and Therapy  

The optimal course of treatment for patients in each stage of heart failure. Established by ACC and AHA.

HCM Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy  

Disease of the heart muscle that often involves thickening of the muscle, electrical problems, and problems with the mitral valve.

HCMA  Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association  

An association serving the HCM community.

HF Heart Failure  

The amount of blood coming out of the heart is not enough for the body's needs - either because the heart can't pump well enough or it can't fill well enough. Not a heart attack! CHF -  Congestive Heart Failure.

HOCM  Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy  

HCM with an obstruction of the outflow tract. Blood is harder to pump out of the heart.

HR Heart Rate   

How fast your heart is beating.

ICD Internal Cardioverter Defibrillator   

An implanted device that can shock your heart into a normal rhythm if you are in a dangerous rhythm. SICD is the Subcutaneous version.

ILR Implantable Loop Recorder  

A paperclip-sized device that is implanted under the skin of the left chest that can record and transmit samples of abnormal heart rhythms for up to three years.

IVS Intraventricular Septum  

Muscular wall separating the left and right ventricles of the heart.

LA Left Atrium  

One of 4 chambers of the heart.

LAMP2 Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein-2  

Mutation of this gene is involved in Danon disease.

LBBB Left Bundle Branch Block   

A type of heart block common after myectomy surgery.

LGE Late Gadolinium Enhancement  

Contrast used during MRI to better show scarring in the heart.

LV Left Ventricle  

One of 4 chambers of the heart.

LVAD Left Ventricular Assist Device  

May be used while waiting for a transplant.

LVH Left Ventricular Hypertrophy  

Thickening of the muscle in the left ventricle.

LVOT Left Ventricular Outflow Tract  

Where blood exits the heart and where those with HCM may have obstruction - LVOTO.

MET Metabolic Equivalent of Task  

The amount of oxygen used to do a task compared to the amount used while sitting at rest.

MI Myocardial Infarction  

Another way of saying heart attack.

MR Mitral Regurgitation  

Some blood flows the wrong way through the mitral valve.

MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging  

A medical scan that uses magnets to create a 3D image.

MVP Mitral Valve Prolapse  

The two flaps of the mitral valve don't close evenly, but bulge up into the left atrium.

NSVT Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia  An arrhythmia. 
NYHA New York Heart Association  

Organization that classified stages of heart failure.

PAC  Premature Atrial Contraction   

An arrhythmia.

PVC  Premature Ventricular Contraction  An arrhythmia.
PVI Pulmonary Vein Isolation  

A type of ablation used to treat afib.

RA Right Atrium   

One of 4 chambers of the heart.

RBBB Right Bundle Branch Block   

A type of heart block common after ASA.

RCT Randomized Controlled Trial  

A research design that randomly assigns participants to an experimental group or control group - the main difference between groups is the thing being studied (for example, a medicine).

RV Right Ventricle  

One of 4 chambers of the heart.

SAM Systolic Anterior Motion  

Movement of the mitral valve towards the LVOT. Can cause obstruction of the outflow tract.

SCA  Sudden Cardiac Arrest  

The heart stops due to an electrical problem: not a heart attack.

SCD Sudden Cardiac Death  

If a person with SCA isn't treated quickly, they die.

SOB Shortness of Breath  

It feels hard to catch your breath - dyspnea.

SRT Septal Reduction Therapy  

Myectomy surgery, alcohol septal ablation.

SVT Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia  

A group of arrhythmias.

TEE  Trans-Esophogeal Echo  

Echocardiogram done with a tube down the throat.

TTE Trans-Thoracic Echo  

Echocardiogram done from outside the chest, the common type.

VFIB Ventricular Fibrillation   

An arrhythmia (sometimes VF) that often leads to sudden cardiac arrest.

VO2 Max Volume of Oxygen Max  

An exercise test with a mask to measure the highest amount of oxygen used during  movement.

VT  Ventricular Tachycardia  

An arrhythmia.

VUS Variant of Unknown Significance  

A grey area in genetics where the identified gene mutation might or might not contribute to HCM.

WPW Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome  

A congenital heart abnormality that can cause tachycardia and sometimes mimics HCM.

 

HCMA 6/2021