Cardiovascular diseases
BMS is leading in the development of groundbreaking therapies for the treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases.
What do we do in the field of cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases include all diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels. They include ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, peripheral arterial diseases, rheumatic heart diseases, congenital heart defects, and deep vein thrombosis.1
Every year, around 25,000 people in Belgium suffer a stroke2, while another 15,000 suffer a heart attack3. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in industrialised countries.
Early detection of these diseases, treatment of the risk factors, and prevention are all critical in reducing the impact of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, current research at Bristol Myers Squibb is focused on developing therapies to prevent stroke and treat venous thromboembolism. Stroke prevention focuses on atrial fibrillation, one of the significant risk factors for stroke.
Cardiovascular diseases encompass a wide range of conditions, each affecting the heart and blood vessels in different ways. While much attention is often given to conditions like heart attacks and strokes, there are also lesser-known but equally impactful diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM is often a genetic condition, with the majority of cases having a genetic basis. It significantly affects heart structure and function4 and is an important focus of our research at Bristol Myers Squibb.
Patient testimonials: Living with HCM
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) can affect daily life through symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, and chest pain, as well as the emotional strain of ongoing medical care. Despite these challenges, many individuals with HCM have found ways to manage their condition and lead fulfilling lives with the right treatment and support.
Discover their journeys in the following videos:
What you need to know about Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a chronic and progressive disease5 characterised by a thickening of the muscular tissue of the left ventricle in the absence of other causes6. This can impair the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. The condition can affect individuals of any age, gender, or background. While some cases are asymptomatic, others can lead to serious complications, especially when the thickening of the heart walls obstructs blood flow.
- Prevalence: HCM affects approximately 1 in 500 adults7, making it one of the most common genetic heart conditions.
- Hereditary nature: The disease is often inherited or caused by a genetic mutation, which means it can run in families.8
- Impact: HCM is a major burden not only for patients but also for their families, the healthcare system, and society as a whole.9
- Awareness gap: Despite its prevalence, HCM receives little policy attention, and many healthcare practitioners are not familiar with its diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, awareness of HCM is essential/of vital importance.
Find out more information about HCM here.
Our medicine in cardiovascular diseases
Our mission is to research, develop, and make available innovative medicines to patients with serious diseases
1 OMS https://www.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases/
2 Belgian Stroke Council https://www.belgianstrokecouncil.be/
3 Ligue Cardiologique Belge https://liguecardiologique.be/infarctus-du-myocarde/
4 Ligue Cardiologique Belge https://liguecardioliga.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Brochure_cardiomyopathies.pdf
5 Maron MS, Olivotto I, Betocchi S, et al. Effect of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction on clinical outcome in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. N Engl J Med. 2003;348(4):295-303).
6 Ho CY, Day SM, Ashley EA, et al. Genotype and lifetime burden of disease in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: insights from the Sarcomeric Human Cardiomyopathy Registry (SHaRE). Circulation. 2018;138(14):1387-1398.
7 Semsarian C, Ingles J, Maron MS, Maron BJ. New perspectives on the prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015;65(12):1249-1254.
8 Marian AJ, Braunwald E. Circ Res. 2017;121(7):749–770.
9 European Heart Network. European cardiovascular disease statistics. 2017 https://ehnheart.org/cvd-statistics/cvd-statistics-2017
CV-BE-2500062 May 2025