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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Determining the Likelihood of Variant Pathogenicity Using Amino Acid-level Signal-to-Noise Analysis of Genetic Variation
Published on: January 16, 2019
[Sudden cardiac death: toward the identification of susceptibity genes]
Insights
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a significant health issue, often linked to underlying heart disease. Genetic susceptibility plays a role, prompting research into genetic testing for risk stratification and prevention.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Genetics
- Preventive Medicine
Context:
- Sudden cardiac death (SCD) affects approximately 1 in 1000 individuals annually in developed nations.
- SCD frequently presents as the first symptom of undiagnosed cardiac conditions, primarily coronary artery disease.
- Established risk factors for SCD largely overlap with those for coronary artery disease, limiting their predictive value in the general population.
Purpose:
- To review current research on the genetic determinants of sudden cardiac death susceptibility.
- To assess the potential for genetic testing in identifying individuals at higher risk for SCD.
- To evaluate the progress towards routine clinical application of genetic risk assessment for SCD.
Summary:
- Genetic predisposition is indicated by an increased risk of SCD in individuals with a family history of the condition.
- Identifying the molecular basis of this genetic susceptibility is crucial for community risk stratification and targeted prevention strategies.
- This review examines the current state of research in this area and the feasibility of widespread genetic testing.
Impact:
- Advances in understanding genetic susceptibility could revolutionize SCD risk assessment.
- Development of genetic tests may enable personalized prevention strategies, reducing SCD incidence.
- Bridging the gap between research findings and clinical practice is essential for public health benefits.
Abstract:
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a major health problem in developed countries with a rate of incidence close to 1/1000 inhabitants/year. In most cases (>80%), SCD occurs as the initial manifestation of a previously ignored cardiac disease, usually coronary artery disease. As a consequence, known risk factors for SCD overlap with those for coronary artery disease and thus are not contributive to identify individuals prone to SCD in the general population. Several clinical studies have demonstrated an increased risk for SCD if one family first-degree relative has experienced SCD, suggesting a genetically acquired susceptibility. Discovering the molecular determinant of this genetic susceptibility may demonstrate extreme value to stratify the risk in the community and to guide prevention. The present review analyses state-of-the-heart research conducted in this field and tentatively measure the distance to be covered before large-scale genetic tests are routinely available in clinical practice.
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