Connect
Do people with bad or no insurance simply die from HOCM?
I've read that 0.02% or 1 in 500 people on earth, or 15-20 million people, have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. If the U.S. population is around 350 million, then 7 million people in the U.S. have it more or less. Even if only a thousand people had it and 250 of them had no or bad insurance, what happens to them? I suspect they just die, like people with other deadlier conditions do where there are medical solutions that are unavailable to them. I'm fortunate but I've never seen anyone post here about those who are not.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Support Group.
Connect
@jih123
My father had it and lived until 91. No treatment other than a pacemaker in his 70s.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactionsit may be possible they never realize their condition and simply pass away from a cardiac event. I met a woman who told me people in her family died unexpectedly from 'cardiac events' and she finally wanted to look into it for herself for a diagnosis. The deaths must have been enough to be more than coincidence. So, this could be happening more than we know. I met this woman at a grocery store the day of my appointment at the same cardiology group she had gone to. They couldn't diagnosis the problem with her heart! It was a cardioloy group of about a dozen cardioligists! And no answer??? I should have turned and ran. I did end up at a very good med center in Kansas City MO so I have great drs and care. I am looking to get a sternal myectomy, at least I think that's the way I want to go. I am 72 and don't want to spend too much time trying this and that. I want to cut to the chase and get things fixed, but I'll see.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@hougoss I am sorry about the loss of your father, was it long ago? I remember an uncle-by-marriage who had "an enlarged heart" in the 1950's of 1960's. I do not recall measures to help him, but I was a child at the time. Mayo started septal myectomy surgeries in 1959.
@priscillaj I was almost 76 when I had a septal myectomy at Mayo, glad I did. There are so, so many different heart ailments that it's impossible for cardiologists to know about every single one that is lurking around. They seem to have areas of interest. If they don't know, good cardiologists reach out to colleagues as mine, well versed in HCM, did after I experienced dizziness and giddiness a couple of weeks after surgery. I was having arrythmias, took a while to figure out. It's not uncommon, unfortunately, for HCM to be undiagnosed, the husband of a friend of mine suddenly died of a "heart attack" and HCM was discovered during the autopsy. As you think about your plan of action, do get a couple of professional opinions. If you and your doctor decide on a septal myectomy, we all recommend a COE where the cardiac surgeons have done many of them. You may wish to read the thread https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-i-learned-from-my-open-heart-surgery-part-1/ in fact, read all you can about this lifesaving surgery! In your browser, type in Mayo Clinic Septal Myectomy, there is much to read! Let us know of the progress you are making on this journey where we are all traveling companions.
@walkinggirl
It was 3 years ago. He wasn’t the type of man to run to the doctor.
@hougoss Gee, sounds like my parents. A different generation.