Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: clinical, echocardiographic and angiographic features in 3 Chinese patients

We present 3 cases of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The presenting symptoms were dyspnea on exertion in 2 of 3 patients, typical anginal pain in 1 patient, atypical chest pain in 1 patient, and fatigue in 1 patient. One patient was asymptomatic with an abnormal electrocardiogram. Sustained apical impulse was noted in all patients, Grade 1/6 systolic murmur was audible in 2 patients. Electrocardiogram showed T wave inversion in the left precordial leads in all patients with amplitudes of 1.4, 0.8 and 2.0 mV, respectively. Isolated apical hypertrophy was noted in all patients. Two-dimensional echocardiogram and the left ventriculogram revealed a "spade-shaped" configuration of the left ventricular cavity at endo-diastole in only one patient. Left ventricular end diastolic pressures were elevated and coronary angiograms were normal in all 3 cases. We conclude that this disease entity should be considered in patients whose electrocardiogram shows a large inverted T wave in the left precordial leads, either accompanied by symptoms such as dyspnea on exertion or chest pain, or even when asymptomatic. Echocardiogram is the most useful screening tool in the diagnosis of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.