A world-first genetic test which indicates a person’s risk of a heart attack has been developed in Australia.
Scientists at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute developed the individualised risk prediction tool for people suffering from a type of heart arrhythmia that could cause sudden cardiac arrest.
Lead study author Professor Jamie Vandenberg said it was the first time a gene mutation-specific test had been applied to predict the severity of heart disease.
Professor Vandenburg said the discovery could also benefit patients suffering from other heart arrhythmias and neurological conditions.
He said the findings, published in Circulation, would enable patients with one of the most common inherited heart diseases – Long QT syndrome – to discover how severe their condition was.
“Genetic testing for inherited heart diseases has been transformative, but there have been limitations in what it can tell you. It might reveal you have the disease, but there has been no way of using this genetic information to determine how high your risk is for suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.
“This will provide patients and their families with answers and better enable clinicians to tailor treatment appropriately.”
Professor Vandenburg said Long QT Syndrome was a heart rhythm disorder that could cause sudden cardiac death and generally affected people who were otherwise fit and healthy.
He said around one in 2000 Australians would have the condition.
