A: The function of the cartilaginous rings of the trachea is to stabilize the trachea and keep it rigid while allowing the trachea to expand and lengthen when the person breathes. If the trachea was not supported in this way, it would simply collapse because of the pressure of the chest.
HCM remains the most common cardiovascular genetic disorder, occurring in at least 1 in 500 people in the general population. 7 HCM is a primary inherited disorder of the myocardium characterized by hypertrophy, usually of the left ventricle, in the absence of other loading conditions such as hypertension.
Type 1 hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States, affecting about 1 million people. It most often affects people of Northern European descent. The other types of hemochromatosis are considered rare and have been studied in only a small number of families worldwide.