Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heart disease that can get worse over time and can result in life-limiting symptoms and serious complications, including heart failure.

What’s remarkable, though, is that most people don’t even know they have HCM. While reported prevalence suggests 1 in 200* to 1 in 500† people in the general population have HCM, most patients remain undiagnosed.

*The 2015 Semsarian publication identified that the prevalence of HCM gene carriers could be as high as 1 in 200.

†The 1995 CARDIA study—a multicenter, US-population–based echocardiography study of 4111 subjects (aged 23–35)—identified the prevalence of HCM as 1 in 500 people in the general population.

Grounded in intensive research, the “Could It Be HCM?” campaign is designed to raise awareness of HCM and to empower people experiencing symptoms consistent with the disease to have empowered and meaningful conversations with their doctor. The goal is to increase overall HCM awareness and encourage patients to have informed discussions about their ongoing symptoms with their doctors by providing education and tools.

Disease state awareness campaigns typically strive to provide answers. But in the unique case of HCM, the answer is a question. And the promise lies in its possibilities.

The campaign’s signature visual is the striking and memorable “web of symptoms,” a symbolic depiction of a person being held back by mysterious, unexplained symptoms, that emphasizes the obstacles that so many HCM sufferers face and identify with. The web also serves as an immediate visual demonstration of the fact that it’s not just a single symptom, but often many overlapping, concurrent unexplained symptoms that may point to HCM. It’s a metaphor for how HCM holds people back and can limit their activities.

Since the launch of the “Could It Be HCM?” campaign in January 2022 it has consistently exceeded benchmarks, earning 40.5 M impressions, over 307,194 visits to the website averaging ~20k visits per week, and over 11,000 downloads of our HCM symptom guide and doctor discussion guide PDFs. Approximately 50% of visitors who completed the survey have reported that the information on the website has motivated them to talk to their doctor about their symptoms.

By shedding light on this disease, BMS will continue to build commitment to and leadership within the HCM community.

Since the launch of the “Could It Be HCM?” campaign in January 2022 it has consistently exceeded benchmarks, earning 40.5 M impressions, over 307,194 visits to the website averaging ~20k visits per week, and over 11,000 downloads of our HCM symptom guide and doctor discussion guide PDFs. Approximately 50% of visitors who completed the survey have reported that the information on the website has motivated them to talk to their doctor about their symptoms.

By shedding light on this disease, BMS will continue to build commitment to and leadership within the HCM community.