Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a condition where the heart muscle becomes thickened and, although HCM is a relatively rare heart disease, it is the commonest of the cardiomyopathies, which affects 1 in every 500 people.
Although the benefits of exercise are well established, exercise may increase the risk of adverse events, such as fatal heart rhythm disturbances, in those with HCM, if safe levels are not prescribed.
Therefore, physicians are commonly over-cautious regarding exercise recommendations or fail to provide guidance altogether. As a result, patients may partake in lower levels of exercise or avoid exercise entirely. Conversely, they may partake in exercise levels that are unsafe. This is detrimental not only to their physical health, but also their mental well-being.
Further work is needed to address what constitutes a safe level of exercise in an individual with HCM, and the beneficial effects of regular exercise, in order to create guidelines applicable to a general HCM population.
The aim of this randomised controlled trial is to assess the feasibility and safety of an exercise programme for patients with HCM, demonstrate health and psychological benefits of the exercise programme and assess compliance.
It is hoped that the findings will allow for a large-scale randomised study which will pave the way for an evidence-based approach to exercise prescription in HCM patients and encourage research into exercise prescription in other inherited cardiac condition groups.
Full project name – Outcomes of structured exercise prescription in young patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Awarded to – Dr Joyee Basu
Dates – 1 February 2018 – 1 February 2020
Cost of Project – £168,387
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