Bengaluru man gets heart transplant after 18-year battle with genetic condition

After nearly two decades of battling a life-threatening heart condition, a 41-year-old Bengaluru resident has received a new lease of life through a heart transplant. Mohammed Rafi, a marketing manager originally from Kerala, was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) at 23, a genetic disorder that thickens the heart muscle and impairs its function.

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The disease had deeply affected his family, claiming the life of his four-year-old daughter and impacting several relatives, including his mother, sister, and uncle. Though initially able to continue working, Rafi’s condition steadily declined. Symptoms such as fatigue, swelling, and breathlessness became part of his daily life, eventually affecting his mobility and ability to work.

For years, Rafi was under medical care and had an Automated Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD) implanted to manage his condition. However, by 2019, he was diagnosed with heart failure and placed on the transplant waiting list. Due to a severe shortage of donors, the wait extended over five years.

On March 21, 2025, a successful transplant was performed at a Bengaluru hospital by a team of cardiothoracic specialists. Rafi was discharged on April 5 and is currently undergoing post-operative recovery, expected to continue for a few more months.

His case underscores the importance of early screening and the urgent need for a national genetic database to tackle inherited cardiac conditions.