Newly updated guidelines, jointly authored by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, recommend the best ways to diagnose and treat the condition.

Nearly one in every 250 people have HCM, but a large percentage of patients go undiagnosed because symptoms mimic other non-cardiac related diseases.

The most common symptoms are shortness of breath, heart palpitations and fatigue, meaning patients are often misdiagnosed with asthma, anxiety attacks or panic attacks.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, is a genetic disorder that occurs when the heart muscle thickens, making it harder to pump blood.

Many people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy often go undiagnosed. This is because the symptoms of HCM aren’t always immediately recognized as indicators of a cardiac condition.