Ask Mayo Clinic: Thickened heart muscle treatment may include open-heart surgery. Here's why

HCM is a relatively common genetic condition affecting approximately 1 in 500 people. Because HCM is a genetic disease, blood tests are utilized to identify specific genetic mutations. Treatment for a thickened heart muscle may include open-heart surgery. These medical procedures are implemented to address the condition when necessary. The Mayo Clinic provides guidance on why surgery is required and what the procedure entails for patients suffering from this specific genetic heart muscle thickening.