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Hereditary heart problems - Factors to be taken into account

Hereditary heart problems - Factors to be taken into account

Top Doctors
Top Doctors editorial
Top Doctors
Created by: Top Doctors editorial Sources: Top Doctors CO
Edited by: TOP DOCTORS® at 04/04/2023

 

What heart diseases are hereditary?

Cardiac pathologies can be classified into two groups. The first group are called cardiomyopathy, or structural heart disease, which includes dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. And a second group are those diseases that affect the ion channels of the action potential also called channelopathies. These channelopathies are Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome and short QT, and catecholaminergic ventricular tachycardia.

 

Can you fight this genetic inheritance?

These conditions the problem they have is that the diagnosis is often difficult. You have to perform tests such as echocardiography, electrocardiogram, stress testing or Holter, but sometimes these tests we did not get a conclusive diagnosis and we have to make some deeper studies such as genetic tests that allow us to arrive a definitive diagnosis. It is very important to diagnose these diseases because some of them may still cause sudden death hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic leading cause of sudden death in young athletes. Therefore it is important to get an early diagnosis to divide this small population group sport and prevent such tragic events.

 

What care should follow the patient with a hereditary disease?

Patients with inherited heart disease most importantly we have to do is study the family, because there is a patient who is ill is an entire family that is sick. Then we need to know which subjects appear the disease and what not. Instead, diagnosis is critical. Treating each disease and hereditary disease is different each since they are diseases with different characteristics. For example in some cases simply will them away from the sport, in other cases administer beta blocker medication. In some severe cases put defibrillators. And it depends as I said each pathology.

 

What role do genetic studies in these conditions?

Genetic studies in these diseases have an important role. On the one hand they serve to confirm the diagnosis in the index case and on the other hand serve to rule out the diagnosis in the first degree. And this is especially important because if these studies do not these patients should be followed clinically until 40 or 50 years.

Cardiology