Can Heart Disease Be Genetic?
It’s no secret that a great deal of cardiovascular disease is linked to poor lifestyle factors. Smoking, lack of exercise, or a diet resulting in abnormal blood cholesterol levels can all accelerate the development of blocked arteries and stiff heart valves. However, while the Cardiologist Doctors at EchoMed are always promoting healthy lifestyle changes, we also acknowledge that, like many health issues, hereditary heart disease can be the direct result of something else: your genetics.
Hereditary heart disease is passed through families, affecting people of all ages, and if left untreated, can be life-threatening.
Inherited Heart Muscle Diseases
Here at EchoMed, we are experts at screening people for the presence of inherited or hereditary heart muscle diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In many cases, patients with HCM are born with an abnormal version of a gene, such as the MYH7 gene, which, as they reach adulthood, causes the heart muscle to become abnormally thick.
This video shows ultrasound images from a healthy heart versus a heart with HCM.
In this case, the diagnosis was made early enough for the patient to be referred to a specialist for further management, which included medications to improve symptoms and, ultimately, the implantation of a defibrillator device to protect against cardiac arrest.
Symptoms of Hereditary Heart Muscle Disease
In HCM in particular, the central portion of the heart muscle (the ‘septum’) becomes so thick that it can obstruct blood leaving the heart each time it pumps. This process, known as ‘outflow tract obstruction’, can cause unpleasant symptoms such as:
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations
- Fainting
Additionally, HCM is also, unfortunately, associated with life-threatening heart rhythm problems. The best initial procedure for diagnosing any cardiomyopathy, including HCM, is to undergo a cardiac ultrasound (or ‘echo’), which, using painless ultrasound waves, assesses the structure and function of the heart’s muscle, valves, and major blood vessels, forming a visual image, which can then be assessed.
Other Types of Hereditary Heart Disease
In addition to HCM, the most common hereditary heart diseases include:
- High cholesterol – while raised cholesterol can be acquired as a result of lifestyle factors, there are certain inherited forms (such as ‘familial hypercholesterolaemia’) that can cause very high levels of bad cholesterol. Without treatment, this will accelerate the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries and heart valves, increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
- Other cardiomyopathies – conditions such as ‘dilated cardiomyopathy’ or ‘arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy’ can run in families and are characterised by abnormal structure and function of the heart muscle.
- Aortopathy – the aorta is the body’s main blood vessel. A number of inherited conditions (such as Marfan syndrome) can cause the aorta to dilate, forming an aneurysm that may require surgery.
- Arrhythmias – many heart rhythm disorders (including Brugada syndrome and Long QT syndrome) are caused by well-known genetic anomalies that run in families.
There are many ways to detect and treat these conditions. Would you like more information about echocardiograms, hereditary heart disease, or our other services? Contact our team for more information; our specialists are on hand to help discuss any concerns, worries, or questions you may have.
Echocardiograms at EchoMed
It is important to note that most genetic abnormalities associated with inherited cardiac conditions aren’t that common. However, cardiac ultrasound screening is completely safe and painless and can diagnose various heart problems at the point of care, including those that run in families.
As such, our Cardiologist Doctors recommend cardiac screening to anybody concerned about the possibility of hereditary heart disease, whether they have symptoms or not. If you have any questions about genetic cardiac conditions, please email us directly at admin@echomed.co.uk.
Here at EchoMed, we understand that heart conditions are a sensitive topic for many people and that undergoing an echocardiogram procedure can be daunting, especially if there is a history of heart disease in the family. However, when attending our cardiac clinic, you can be assured that you are in the best hands possible, being attended to by experienced and qualified specialist Doctors with years of experience and with your best interests in mind.
Book your appointment online today at a date and time that suits you.
