Sustained ventricular tachycardia in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, midcavitary obstruction, and apical aneurysm.

The prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is estimated at 1:500 in the general population. Of these patients, approximately 1% develops midcavitary obstruction and subsequent apical aneurysm. We present a brief review of the literature on apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using a rare case-based example. The etiology for apical aneurysm development is unclear but is thought to extend from apical fibrosis and necrosis secondary to subendocardial ischemia. The lifetime risk of cardiovascular death in patients with HCM is 2%. However, the risk may be higher in patients with apical aneurysms. Definitive therapy involves implantation of an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator, since medical therapy has variable success.