STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Northwell Staten Island University Hospital has expanded its Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Program, a move hospital officials say will allow patients to receive specialized heart care on Staten Island rather than traveling off the borough.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic condition that causes abnormal thickening of the heart muscle and affects an estimated 1 in 200 to 500 people. Symptoms can range from none at all to shortness of breath, chest pain, heart rhythm abnormalities, or heart failure, making early diagnosis and expert evaluation critical, particularly for families with a history of the disease.
The expanded program brings together specialists in cardiology, electrophysiology, advanced imaging, heart failure care, and genetic counseling to provide coordinated treatment. Patients undergo comprehensive evaluations that may include echocardiograms, cardiac MRI scans, and genetic testing, with care plans tailored to individual risk and symptoms…