A genetic future for coronary heart disease?

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Science
• Genetics
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• The concept of genetic disease is evolving, particularly concerning coronary heart disease (CHD).
• Biomedical literature reveals shifts in how CHD is conceptualized and managed.
• The 'geneticisation' thesis posits a growing dominance of genetic explanations in medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how coronary heart disease (CHD) is framed as genetic in scientific literature.
• To explore the role of genetic discourses in broader understandings of CHD.
• To critically evaluate the geneticisation thesis using CHD as a case study.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of biomedical literature, specifically four commentary papers on CHD treatment.
• Qualitative examination of genetic discourses within the context of CHD.
• Comparison of findings with the claims of the geneticisation thesis.

Main Results:

• A genetic perspective for CHD management is increasingly evident, aligning with aspects of the geneticisation thesis.
• Alternative and competing models of CHD coexist within biomedical discourse, influenced by disciplinary perspectives.
• Struggles for authority among different disciplines impact the conceptualization of CHD.

Conclusions:

• The geneticisation thesis, as a universal claim, is challenged by the distributed nature of biomedical knowledge.
• The concept of geneticisation may be better understood as a form of 'boundary work' rather than a literal transformation.
• Future research should consider the complex interplay of genetic and non-genetic factors in disease understanding.