Heart Disease

The most common inherited cardiovascular diseases are Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), Inherited Arrhythmias, Marfan Syndrome, and Familial Aortic Aneurysm (FAA). HCM is the most common inherited cardiovascular disorder and involves an unexplained muscle thickening in the ventricles. HCM affects one in every thousand people. DCM is a condition where the heart is enlarged, grows weaker, and is less able to pump blood throughout the body. Inherited Arrhythmias are abnormal heart beats or rhythms caused by gene mutations. Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. FAA is an inherited disorder in which an aneurysm occurs along the aorta in the abdomen or the chest. The genes responsible for some familial cardiovascular disorders have been identified. Certain individuals may be appropriate for directed genetic testing of specific disorders. Consult your doctor!