Foreword to the Special Issue: HCM in 2018

[first paragraph of article] The first description of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be attributed to any number of great anatomists and physicians working from the 17th century onwards, but the modern era is often said to have begun with Donald Teare’s landmark paper of 1958  that spurred a period of intense clinical investigation that has continued unabated to the present day. The fruits of this collective endeavour include an understanding of the genetic architecture of the disease, an appreciation of its complex pathophysiology, and much progress in clinical management. However, many challenges remain, particularly with respect to disease prevention and the management of progressive heart failure.