Genetic Screening to Reduce Sudden Cardiac Death

A national screening program has been suggested by Australian cardiologists at the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand's annual scientific meeting in Perth this weekend.

More and more young people are dying from cardiovascular problems of a genetic origin, says Sydney's Molecular Cardiology Group associate professor Chris Semsarian. He says that in most cases of sudden death, with unidentified cause of death, genetic cardiovascular problems are more likely to blame. A previous study in the U.S. shows that one in ten sudden cardiac deaths in people under 60 could be attributed to genetic defects.

Scientists want to propose a national screening program that would involve the relatives of those who have died; relatives should be screened in order to determine if there is a particular set of genes that causes sudden death.

Dr. Semsarian said a research team had already been established to try to identify the genes that cause sudden cardiac deaths, by testing the surviving relatives. The aim of the research will be to try to develop a way to "silence" the gene that causes sudden cardiac death.

A U.S. research study has found that only five per cent of the people who died from sudden cardiac death had a previously diagnosed heart condition. This is why University of Minnesota researcher Russell Luepker urges doctors to be more careful when they diagnose heart problems in patients. "The message for doctors is that we cannot assume that a patient who presents with risk factors such as high blood pressure or smoking, but seems to have no symptoms is not at risk", he says.

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