At Emory Healthcare, caring for your heart is a top priority. If you have a personal or family history of certain types of heart-related problems, you may need specialized care. Inherited heart disease is common. It affects as many as 1 in 70 people nationwide.
Cardiovascular Genetics
Your Partner in Genetic Heart Disease
Why Cardiovascular Genetic Testing and Counseling Matters to You
The experts in our Cardiovascular Genetics program can determine if you've Inherited a heart condition. We can perform genetic testing that may reveal the heart-related risks you and your family members face. And we provide the genetic counseling that explains your results and management options.
You don't need to have a family history to have a genetic condition. But if your test reveals a genetic mutation (a change to your DNA), that same mutation may impact your loved one—including your children. Genetic testing and counseling can give you those answers, help you manage your condition and help identify if any of your family members are at risk—even before they've developed a heart-related problem.
Genetic testing and counseling offers several benefits, including:
- An accurate diagnosis for you
- More information for you about your prognosis and possible outcomes
- Guidance for you and your family on potential gen-based management options
- Guidance for your family members to know if they are at risk
Talk with your doctor if heart disease runs in your family or if you think you have an inherited heart condition. Your doctor can refer you to our cardiovascular genetics counselors and a cardiologist with special expertise in cardiovascular genetics.
The Emory Cardiovascular Genetics Difference
Our Cardiovascular Genetics program is unique. As Georgia’s only stand-alone adult cardiovascular genetics program, we focus on specific genes that contribute to your heart disease. Each sub-specialist in our multidisciplinary team is a genetics expert in a specific condition. That means you work with a provider who has a detailed understanding of the genetics of your inherited condition.
We are leaders in cardiovascular genetics care. We work closely with your cardiologist or primary care doctor to help them deliver personalized care that can treat your condition and lower the risk to you and your family. Our experts also conduct groundbreaking research that could lead to better treatments for genetic heart problems.
Genetic Heart Conditions We Treat
Your genes can play a role in a wide range of heart conditions. Through genetic testing, we can determine if you’ve inherited a genetic mutation for:
- Amyloidosis
- Aortic aneurysm/aortic and vascular dissections
- Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
- Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy/arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
- Brugada syndrome
- Catecholaminergic polymorphic VT (CPVT)
- Congenital heart disease
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Familial hypercholesterolemia
- Heart failure
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (VF)
- Loeys-Dietz syndrome
- Long-term QT syndrome
- Marfan syndrome
- Short-term QT syndrome
- Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
- Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
What To Expect During Your Cardiovascular Genetics Visit
If you have a genetic heart problem or if heart disease runs in your family, you may have questions about your risk and how an inherited condition could affect you or your family. To make accessing care as convenient as possible, our genetic counselors offer both video and in-clinic appointments.
Genetic cardiovascular disease is a life-long journey. As your health care partner, we’ll be by your side at every step. Here’s what you can expect from this process:
Pre-Test Genetics Counseling
Choosing to undergo genetic testing is a big decision. That’s why we offer pre-test counseling. During these meetings, our experts discuss the advantages and disadvantages of testing, the possible outcomes of testing and why testing is important for you and your family. We will also take a comprehensive family history so we can identify those relatives who might also warrant screening for your condition.
We can also help you determine if your insurance will cover all or part of the cost. There are federal laws that provide specific protections against discrimination for those with genetic disorders. We will explain these to you so that you can make a fully informed decision.
Genetics Testing
One of our nurses will collect a blood or saliva sample. We send your sample to a lab that specializes in genetic testing. This lab analyzes it for genetic mutations that are linked to inherited heart conditions.
Post-Test Genetic Counseling
It usually takes 3-4 weeks for the lab to process and analyze your test. If your results are positive for an inherited condition, the genetic counselor will explain your genetic findings and what it means for you and your family. We also work with you and your doctor to create a care plan.
Certain genetic heart conditions can be associated with additional medical issues not related to the heart. If needed, we may connect you with another specialist.
Identifying other family members who are at risk is vital. We can help arrange testing and design care plans for your loved ones, too.
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