Question

A 66-year-old patient's echocardiogram reveals a hypertrophied left ventricle, normal chamber volume, and a normal ejection fraction from the heart. what is this patient's most likely diagnosis

Answer 1

This is a case of a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with preserved ejection fraction. A hypertrophied left ventricle is a echocardiographic sign that there is chronic stress put in the left ventricle, most commonly in overcoming high aortic pressures in patients with systemic hypertension. In this case, there is normal chamber volume and normal ejection fraction therefore the heart is functionally normal and ejection fraction is preserved.