Genetics of heart disease

Heart Disease (HD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women. About 1 in 4 people die each year from HD in the United States. HD is usually treatable with surgery and/or medications. HD is often related to a buildup of plaque in the arteries of the heart itself. Plaques are mostly made of fats, cholesterol, and dead white blood cells. Plaques build up in the arteries. There are several types of heart disease. The most common are: Heart attack (myocardial infarction): when a blood clot cuts off blood to part of the heart muscle. When that happens, part of the heart muscle dies. Heart failure: means the heart does work like it should. Heart valve problems: when heart valves don’t open or close like they should Irregular heart beat (Arrhythmia): when your heart beat is not normal, or irregular Stroke: when a blood vessel that goes to the brain gets blocked Angina pectoris (or angina): a fancy way of saying chest pain or tightness in your chest. Changes in certain genes may play a role in your risk for heart disease. Scientists in this study already linked changes in one gene and angina. Now, they will use BioVU to look for people with the same gene changes. Then they will look to see if people with those gene changes have other types of HD. This information could help doctors figure out who is at risk for HD. It could even lead to new ways to prevent or reduce heart disease.