Once the dose is stable, your appointments will ease up, requiring follow-ups every three to six months, says Atkins.
Echocardiograms continue long term — roughly every six months for both drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently updated mavacamten’s label to allow for echocardiograms every six months after you’re stable, replacing the older 12-week requirement. Your doctor may adjust the timing based on your health.
The testing continues because myosin inhibitors can lower your heart’s pumping strength over time. Routine echocardiograms catch that shift early. If your left ventricular ejection fraction stays below 50 percent, current guidelines call for stopping the medication or decreasing the dose, depending on which medication you’re taking and what your ejection fraction is.
Symptoms matter just as much as lab results, so watch for any change in what you’re able to do, says Atkins. “Anything that is not getting better is something that we should pay attention to,” she says. And call your care team right away if you notice new shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fainting, or dizziness or a racing heartbeat.
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