Sudden death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Assessment of patients at high risk.

T he incidence of sudden death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is 2-4% a year in adults and 4-6% a year in children and adolescents.1 These data have been generated from referral cardiac centers and may reflect a bias to the more severe patients.2 The identification and management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who are at increased risk of sudden death remains a major problem, particularly in younger patients.