People with HCM may be at an enhanced risk of cardiovascular disease, and therefore should try to follow expert recommendations for a heart-healthy lifestyle, such as adopting a healthy diet and exercise habits.
Get Regular Exercise, but Avoid Short Bursts
“The first thing I tell patients is don’t be scared of exercising,” says Ningxin Wan, MD, a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens in Flushing, New York, and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. But your cardiologist may tell you to avoid types of exercise that could overstress your heart.
Aim for sustained, regular, moderate endurance exercises like cycling, elliptical, walking, and jogging. Anything that requires sudden bursts of straining isn’t good for people with HCM, Dr. Wan says.
“What we don’t recommend is exercise that requires intense bursts like heavy weight lifting, contact sports, or anything that needs the patient to suddenly move or strain themselves. That gives the heart a sudden exercise rather than sustained, which can aggravate obstruction,” she says.
You should also not exercise on a full stomach or right after eating, since a full stomach can put pressure on the heart and make symptoms worse during exercise.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can worsen HCM symptoms.
“When you are dehydrated it’s easier for the sick heart muscle to get in the way and obstruct blood flow,” Wan says.
Avoid Extreme Heat
Lose Weight, if Necessary
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