A genetic test result is “positive” if a mutation is found. 

A positive result doesn’t usually change how doctors treat or monitor your HCM. 

Sometimes, having a genetic mutation can make you eligible for a clinical trial. These are safe and controlled ways to test new treatments for HCM, like gene therapy.

• Each copy of each gene you have (you have 2 of each) has a 1 in 2 (50%) chance of being passed to each child.

• If you have one of the sarcomere mutations known to promote HCM, each of your children has a 50% chance of inheriting that gene mutation. Their chance of inheriting HCM itself is less than 50% since not everyone with one of these mutations develops disease.

• If you have HCM but no known mutation, your kids still have a chance of inheriting HCM. We don't know what that chance is, though, because we don't understand all the causes of HCM. There is some evidence suggesting that people with non-sarcomere HCM don't pass on the phenotype as easily as those with sarcomere HCM.

• A "genetic test" doesn't test whether your HCM is caused (or partly caused) by genes. It tests whether you have one of the known mutations. In other words, a negative genetic test doesn't mean you can't pass your HCM on to your kids. The reason for testing isn't to exclude YOU, it's to possibly exclude them from further concern - if you have a known mutation and they don’t, then their chances of developing HCM are exceedingly small, effectively zero.

• Family members who have the mutation (including your children) can benefit from getting specialty HCM  monitoring and/or care as early as possible.

If you have a negative test result, you can get tested again in the future to check for any new causes.  Another possible test result is a VUS (or variant of uncertain significance).  This means there’s a change in your DNA, but there’s not enough information about whether it causes HCM.   Just like a negative result, you and your close family still need to be followed for HCM.