Special Interview with Prof. Sabahat Bokhari: Current Perspectives and Future Directions in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Research
29 January 2026
Prof Sabahat Bokhari
Department of Cardiology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Interests: cardiac amyloidosis; cardiovascular imaging
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the most common inherited cardiovascular diseases, yet it remains significantly underdiagnosed worldwide. Recently, Professor Sabahat Bokhari and colleagues published a comprehensive review article entitled “Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Current Perspectives” in Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine (RCM) (Vol. 26, Issue 9). This review systematically summarizes the epidemiology, diagnostic advances, therapeutic strategies, and future directions of HCM research. To provide readers with deeper insight into the motivation and key messages behind this work, we interviewed Professor Bokhari, who shared his perspectives on the current challenges and future directions in HCM research and clinical practice.
1. Could you briefly introduce the core members of your research team for your paper?
I am Sabahat Bokhari, Professor of Cardiology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Director of the Amyloid and Hypertensive Cardiomyopathy Center and Advanced Cardiac Imaging Center. Our core team includes Dhruvil Patel, a third-year medical resident; Ruchika Bhargav, a junior cardiologist; and Aliaa Mousa, a research fellow. This team collaborated to complete this project.
2. Could you summarize the core conclusions or main idea of this review paper in a few concise sentences?
This review aims to increase awareness of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and to highlight recent advances in diagnostic approaches and treatment strategies. We emphasize that HCM is not a rare disease—it has a prevalence of 1:200 to 1:500—but only about 100,000 cases are currently diagnosed in the US, while the actual patient population may reach 1.7 million. Therefore, increasing awareness of HCM is crucial.
3. What prompted your team to provide such a comprehensive review of HCM? Was this decision influenced by a specific finding from clinical practice or prior research?
Data is the primary driving force. The prevalence of HCM in the US is approximately 1:200, implying about 1.7 million patients, or even 700,000 using the conservative 1:500 estimate. Yet, only 100,000 cases are currently diagnosed. This substantial diagnostic gap motivated us to write this review, hoping to encourage clinicians to more proactively identify and screen for this disease.
4. How long did it take to complete this review? Were there any behind-the-scenes efforts during the preparation process that you would like to share?
Our preparation was thorough. We systematically examined current data, delved into the historical timeline of HCM from its first description, traced the understanding of its clinical and genetic basis, and then comprehensively detailed disease subtypes, clinical presentations, diagnostic red flags (both clinical and imaging), current treatments, and future therapeutic perspectives. We felt it was crucial to cover all of these aspects to provide a complete picture.
5. In your view, what is the most innovative aspect of this review? Compared with previous reviews on HCM, what new perspectives does it provide?
Our review stands out by integrating discussions on the latest diagnostic imaging modalities, genomic insights, and both current and emerging treatments. We also included analysis of recent clinical trials, such as the ODYSSEY-HCM trial for non-obstructive HCM. This makes it an extensive and up-to-date resource.
6. How do you assess the value of novel targeted therapies such as Mavacamten and Aficamten in the treatment of HCM? What do these drugs mean for the current clinical landscape?
We outlined the standard treatment algorithm: starting with beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers, then moving to myosin inhibitors like mavacamten (Camzyos) for eligible symptomatic patients. We discussed the promise of newer agents like aficamten (not yet FDA-approved). The review also covers established options like disopyramide and septal reduction therapies (surgery or ablation). These novel myosin inhibitors represent a significant advance in the pharmacological treatment of obstructive HCM.
7. What key insights do you hope readers will gain from this review? In what ways do you hope this article can benefit scholars in the field of cardiovascular research?
We aim to highlight that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is often perceived as a rare condition, but is in fact a common disease. Among diagnosed patients, only a small proportion (fewer than 30,000 out of 100,000) receive ideal treatment for obstructive cases. This review also details emerging disease-modifying therapies and the clinical trial endpoints that led to the approval of these medications.
8. Based on your current research findings, could you outline what your next research plans are? What new questions has this study identified, or are there new questions that it will raise in the future? Will you continue to focus on novel therapies or surgical/interventional strategies for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or other cardiovascular diseases?
My current core research focus is on the etiology of increased myocardial wall thickness. Hypertensive cardiomyopathy and amyloidosis are two common diseases that are frequently misdiagnosed as each other—approximately 7% of patients diagnosed with HCM actually have amyloidosis. My research concentrates on the entire spectrum of diseases causing increased wall thickness.
9. In your opinion, what will be the main directions for future research on HCM—genetics, imaging, or personalized treatment?
AI will play a pivotal role in diagnosis and patient identification, particularly in interpreting echocardiograms. Therapeutically, current myosin inhibitors improve quality of life but offer no mortality benefit; future therapies must reduce mortality. Additionally, metabolic modulation research holds promise—for example, whether shifting myocardial metabolism from fatty acids to glucose can improve symptoms and prognosis is an exciting avenue of exploration.
10. Why did you choose to submit this significant research to our journal? Could you share the reasons behind your decision? What aspects of our journal attracted you?
RCM is an excellent cardiovascular medicine review journal. Given that our submission is a review of an important cardiac condition, we believe your journal is the ideal platform to disseminate our research findings and effectively deliver the message to the target audience.
11. How was your submission experience with our journal? What stood out to you?
Our experience was extremely positive. The review timeline was efficient, and the feedback from the reviewers was excellent. Their constructive comments significantly improved our manuscript. This positive experience has encouraged us to submit more review studies to your journal in the future.
We sincerely thank Prof. Bokhari and his team for their trust and support, and extend our heartfelt gratitude to the reviewers for their invaluable contributions to enhancing the quality of our manuscript. RCM remains committed to providing a high-quality academic platform that facilitates scholarly exchange and supports ongoing progress in cardiovascular medicine.
Article Details: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Current Perspectives
Journal Homepage: Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine