Personalized genomes and cardiovascular disease

The emerging ability to obtain a personalized genome, that is, to perform whole-genome sequencing to determine the entirety of the DNA sequence in an individual patient's chromosomes, holds out the promise of transforming patient care by allowing physicians to more accurately predict the risk of disease and to tailor therapy to that individual. Although no established applications of personalized genomics in cardiovascular medicine yet exist, there are at least two emerging applications that may ultimately become everyday practice. In the first application, DNA sequence variants that have been found to be associated with cardiovascular disease may be incorporated in risk-prediction algorithms to more accurately forecast whether patients will develop disease. In the second application, known as pharmacogenomics, DNA sequence variants that have been found to be associated with either beneficial effects or adverse effects of a medication may be used to help decide which medications or dosages of medications to prescribe to patients. It remains to be seen whether either of these applications will prove to be both cost effective as well as of clinical benefit.