Endocarditis and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Infective endocarditis (IE) is an uncommon but potentially fatal complication in patients affected by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The risk has been described to be significantly higher than in the general population, but the incidence of IE in HCM population remains unknown. The complex pathophysiology of this disease, characterized by structural alterations of the mitral valve apparatus and the presence of turbulent flow that promotes the deposition of microorganisms, could provide a substrate for IE and may, to some extent, explain its higher incidence in this specific population. The purpose of this case series is to highlight the correlation between endocarditis and HCM, a concern that has also been raised in recent European guidelines.