UCSF Health Receives Prestigious "Center of Excellence" Designation for Program that Treats Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), the World’s Most Common Genetic Heart Disease

UCSF Health has been designated a national Center of Excellence by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA). UCSF Health joins 35 other centers nationwide that share this designation.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic heart condition characterized by thickening of the heart muscle. Often difficult to diagnose, HCM affects 1 in 300 people worldwide. HCM is the most common cause of sudden death for young people and athletes, but most people with HCM are symptom-free or experience only mild symptoms. This condition can cause life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden death – even if patients have no symptoms of the condition. 

HCMA Centers of Excellence must provide a comprehensive list of services, and UCSF Health’s HCM Center of Excellence is led by master clinicians with specific expertise in managing all forms of HCM, including complex presentations. The center’s multidisciplinary HCM expertise includes caring for adult and pediatric HCM patients across a wide range of specialties including overall clinical evaluation, advanced multimodality imaging (echocardiography, CT, MRI, PET), cardiac electrophysiology (including implanted cardiac devices, atrial and ventricular arrhythmia ablation), advanced heart failure and cardiac transplantation, interventional cardiology (angiography, coronary intervention, septal ablation), genetic services (genotyping, counseling) and cardiac surgical services (septal myectomy, mechanical circulatory support, heart transplant).

UCSF Health’s HCM Center of Excellence is directed by adult cardiologists Roselle Abraham, MD, and Theodore Abraham, MD, FACC, and pediatric cardiologist Jeffrey Gossett, MD, FAAP, each of whom have extensive experience in managing HCM. The center is proficient in offering seamless care to patients and their families, at every age and stage of this disease.  We are also uniquely designed to accommodate patients traveling from long distances by coordinating same-day appointments for all testing and clinic visits.

“The HCMA is pleased to be adding high volume HCM care to the Northern California Region”, said Lisa Salberg, CEO and Founder.

Developing innovative approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of HCM is a key component of the center’s work. Once considered as multiple genetic abnormalities presenting as one, Dr. Roselle Abraham’s research in mouse models uncovered that HCM follows different mechanistic pathways based on genetics and that a personalized approach is desirable for effective diagnosis, treatment and management.

“HCM is a complex condition and highly variable in its presentation”, said Dr. Theodore Abraham. “It requires a whole host of clinical expertise as well as expertise in ancillary testing and management.  We’re happy to have that available at UCSF and are honored to receive this designation from the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association.”

The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, HCMA, was founded in 1996 as an international resource for patients, families and the medical community on matters of importance to the HCM community.   HCM is a genetic heart muscle disorder affecting 1 in 300 people worldwide.   The HCMA provides service to enhance understanding, provide support, foster research, ensure high quality health care and support public policies of importance to the community.  The HCMA is a 501c(3) with offices in Denville, N.J. and online at www.4hcm.org for more information contact us at 973-983-7429.