Doctor issues warning for 'silent killer' that often goes undiagnosed and you've likely never heard of it

A doctor has issued a warning over a health condition known as a 'silent killer', as it often goes undiagnosed.

With Christmas out of the way, many are being urged to head to the doctors for advice on the symptoms they put off getting looked at until after the festive period.

Heart health is perhaps one of the most important to consider, with research suggesting that one bad habit can increase the risk of developing a dangerous condition and a surgeon highlighting the foods he 'absolutely avoids' to live healthily.

When it comes to cardiovascular health, we often tie this to heart attacks - though there's now something else to also look out for.

While the symptoms of a heart attack may be a little more obvious to see, there's a lifelong genetic disorder that can often go undiagnosed and it's probably something you've never heard of.

Heart health is extremely important (Getty Stock Image)

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), is a 'disease in which the heart muscle becomes thickened', according to the Mayo Clinic. The thickened heart muscle can subsequently make it difficult for the heart to pump blood around the body.

The problem with HCM is that a lot of folks are unaware they have it, considering it presents little to no symptoms.

While the condition can be challenging to spot, it can cause potentially devastating situations, such as heart failure, if left untreated.

The Heart Failure Society of America reports that over 100,000 people have been diagnosed with HCM in the US.

Health experts believe HCM is often inherited from your parents, though they are still researching the so-called 'silent killer'.

Symptoms of the 'silent killer' can be difficult to spot (Getty Stock Image)

Dr Theodore Abraham, an echocardiographer at UCSF Health, said: "Although genotyping is important, it’s not the full story for HCM. For half of the people with severe HCM, we haven’t found the causative gene. And just because the gene is present doesn’t mean you have the disease."

Unfortunately, standard heart ultrasounds aren't quite effective in discovering HCM, as Dr Abraham explained: "Before, patients with HCM and other forms of heart disease would come in, get an echo and often be told, ‘You have nothing wrong — I’ve looked at your echo and it looks great'.

"They’d come back 10 years later and be in really bad shape."

What are the symptoms of HCM?

According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of HCM are:

• Chest pain, especially during exercise
• Fainting during or after physical activity
• The sensation of 'fast, fluttering or pounding heartbeats', known as palpitations
• Shortness of breath, particularly during exercise.