Which condition is characterized by an overgrown heart muscle that obstructs blood flow?

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a condition where there is an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, particularly affecting the interventricular septum. This thickened muscle can obstruct blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta, leading to various symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and palpitations.

In HOCM, the obstruction occurs due to the excessive growth of muscle fibers, which is not a response to increased workload but rather a genetic condition that causes the heart muscle to become abnormally thick. This can create a narrowing within the pathway of blood flow and can lead to complications, including arrhythmias and heart failure.

Understanding HOCM is important in the context of cardiac health as it can manifest in younger individuals, sometimes with little or no symptoms until significant complications arise. Prompt recognition and management are crucial for these patients to prevent severe outcomes. Other conditions mentioned, like coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and myocardial infarction, involve different mechanisms and consequences related to heart function but do not specifically involve the obstruction of blood flow due to an overgrown heart muscle in the same way HOCM does.