The genetics of heart rhythms

When you are resting, your heart beats about 60-100 times per minute. When you work out, it beats faster. But it still beats in a rhythm. Electrical impulses tell our heart when to beat. Sometimes, these impulses do not work right. This can lead to heart rhythm problems. The most common is when it beats too fast for a short amount of time. For example, when your resting heart rate is more than 100 beats per minute. The medical term for this is supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). There are different types of SVT. But, the symptoms are similar. These may include feeling faint, sweating, shortness of breath, or chest pain. Most of the time, lifestyle changes and/or drugs can help or stop these fast heartbeats. In a few cases, surgery may be an option. The most common form of SVT has to do with the atrioventricular node (AV). This is part of the electrical system of the heart. If something goes wrong with this, it can cause atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Scientists think that genetics may play a role in who gets AVNRT. Researchers at Vanderbilt will use BioVU to study patients with AVNRT. They will look for gene changes linked to AVNRT. They will also work with other DNA biobanks to check for the link. This will help make sure the results are true. The results may help us learn who may be at risk for AVNRT. They may also help us learn how to better treat or control it.