Michigan - The heart of the matter
the hcm act will help identify Cardiac Health issues in patients with a spectrum of Diseases including Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a sudden, unexpected death caused by loss of heart function (sudden cardiac arrest). Sudden cardiac death is the largest cause of natural death in the United States, causing about 325,000 adult deaths in the United States each year.
Multiple conditions and risks can make children prone to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or sudden cardiac death (SCD) as well as other complications of heart disease. To date, the focus has mainly been only on screening student-athletes.
By the numbers:
One of the disorders in the spectrum is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy which is often misdiagnosed or worse yet - overlooked until it is too late.
But with more attention focused on this problem, we can improve the diagnosis delay.
There are close to 8,500 Michigan State constituents potentially affected with cardiac disorders per EACH State Senator’s District, with over 1,300 being Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy*.
The HCMA has many members from Michigan. They share a deep understanding of the benefits of childhood screening and early diagnosis.
Hear from a State of Michigan Constituent - Help save us now:
From being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at 15 in Vietnam to doing research on HCM another 15 years later, Vi Tang has seen both the patient and medical professional side of the disease.
Vi was diagnosed during a routine doctor's appointment when his physician detected a heart murmur. 24 hours and an echocardiogram later, he received his HCM diagnosis. There was no family history nor did any of his family members experience HCM-like symptoms.
5 years later, while he was living on the East Coast of the U.S. and after almost fainting, he was given an ICD. 3 years after that, she had severe obstruction and thus had a myectomy which helped to alleviate his symptoms.
Now at 30 years old, Vi is enjoying an active lifestyle and has even run a 5K. He is doing biomedical research on topics including HCM and after he receives his Ph.D, he hopes to continue researching for HCM treatments.
Like Vi, there are up to 3,000 constituents potentially affected with cardiac disorders per EACH House of Representative Member’s District in Michigan with up to 450 being Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
To view the full report on the prevalence of cardiac disorders in the state of Michigan: Click here
Please, listen to our patient stories, and take action to support the HCM Act. Draft legislation is available for review: https://4hcm.org/health-cardiac-monitoring-act/