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Has anyone been treated at UVA Heart and Vascular?
Hi, I was diagnosed this summer with Apical HCM. I have an appointment in a few weeks with a cardiologist at UVA, as I live in central Virginia. I've read numerous posts about the importance of using a COE for optimal treatment outcomes. I was curious to know if anyone has used UVA and whether they were satisfied with the level of care and treatment for HCM.
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Hello @jandpdirks and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
I'm glad you have spent some time reading the posts here, and yes, who and where you have your HCM treatment is very important. Every person with HCM or HOCM is unique and different, so the physician treating yours must be astute and educated in this condition so that you may benefit by getting the correct treatment for your particular case.
As to the COE (Center of Excellence), this factor is just as important as who is treating your HCM when it comes to procedures such as a septal myectomy, especially if you have apical HCM (AHCM).
https://www.4hcm.org/
I posted a link you may find interesting, and there is a section that shows if your state has a COE.
UVA is on the list.
I would encourage you to learn as much as you can about what lives inside your chest, and to not let location or convenience be your deciding factor for where your treatment comes from.
I flew across the country to get care for my HOCM, and it made all the difference in my case. I'm not suggesting the UVA is not stellar, just want to be sure you feel confident you have the best treatment in the best place.
I had little confidence in my case, as I had been misdiagnosed for several years with four different heart conditions...none of which I had. By the time I got to Mayo Clinic, my heart was failing and my HOCM was severe. I had to have open heart surgery. I was not prepared to hear that!
Have you had a chance to read the posts here on Connect about apical HCM?
Enter "apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy" in the the search bubble at the top of the page.
There is a lot of information regarding this rare form of HCM.
Do you have your list of questions ready for your appointment?
@karukgirl thank you for your response. I appreciate the feedback. I am compiling a long list of questions for my visit. It seem this condition is very difficult to treat and seeking a well versed doctor is critical for successful treatment.