Genes could help doctors detect heart attack risk after Monash University trial
Genes could be used to help doctors predict if a person is at risk of a heart attack and allow them to target treatment to those who need it most, following a two-part trial at Monash University.
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Genes could be used to help doctors predict if a person is at risk of a heart attack and allow them to target treatment to those who need it most.
A new two-part Monash University trial is testing whether a person’s genetic makeup can indicate if they are at risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack.
It will also look at if a person responds better to treatment depending on that level of risk, by testing the effectiveness of statins — a medication commonly used to treat cholesterol.
The hope is that by predicting if someone is at risk, early interventions could be made.
Professor Steve Nicholls is leading the trial and says it is the first of its kind.
“What began this conversation is that we know there are families where heart attacks tend to run – so you start to think why is there more risk to some than others?” Prof Nicholls said.
“We haven’t been able to identify one heart attack gene – but what we have been able to identify is that some variation in some genes appears to be related.”
He said by monitoring those variations using what is called a poly gene score, predictions can be made as to the risk of a person having a heart attack.
“The higher the score, the higher risk you are of having a heart attack,” Prof Nicholls said.
“If we can show that that can (also) identify patients who are more likely to benefit from treatment, then that has a greater chance of being used in a clinic.”
About 600 patients will take part in the trial, which is the first of many to be run out of the new Victorian Heart Hospital — which is set to open in 2022.
“Genetic testing exists, genetic scores look positive – but the data today is just a snapshot,” Prof Nicholls said.
“What we now want to know is can we use this from a clinical setting.
“Heart disease remains our biggest killer and we need new solutions.”
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