The Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases
As the cost of genetic testing comes down, we now have an opportunity to incorporate genetics into mainstream clinical practice. The Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases was born from a vision to better integrate genetics and genomics into all aspects of cardiology, cardiovascular care, and cardiovascular surgery throughout the Mount Sinai Health System. The benefits to patients are many: earlier and more precise diagnostics, targeted treatments, and preventive measures for cardiovascular disease.
Our Mission
Heart disease is still the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Most patients only seek treatment once signs or symptoms develop, often in later stages of disease. As genetic testing becomes more accessible, we now have the ability to predict and prevent many heart disorders and diseases. Also, since many heart conditions are complicated and hard to diagnose, genetic testing can provide more accurate diagnoses and indicate specific treatments.
Our mission comprises both groundbreaking research and new models of patient care. If you are diagnosed with heart disease or a related condition, you may be referred to our Center for a genetic evaluation. The conditions that are seen and evaluated for within the Center span the full spectrum of heart and blood vessel disease. As genetic testing is integrated into cardiovascular care on a regular basis, the Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases has become a highly multidisciplinary clinical practice, working directly with all the subspecialties of cardiology, as well as cardiac, vascular, and other specialties.
Our Goals
Genetics and genomics are becoming part of everyday medicine. The NIH National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) “2020 Vision for Genomics” is to integrate genomics into routine medical practice in a way that prevents disease and improves the health of all people, regardless of ethnic, cultural, or socioeconomic backgrounds. To this end, the Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases has identified three primary goals:
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Facilitate clinical genetic evaluations for a range of monogenic cardiovascular disorders.
Common heart diseases that are inherited include cardiomyopathies, arrhythmic disorders, vascular disorders, and lipid disorders. Many of these diseases have symptoms that overlap, and genetic testing can help pinpoint the nature of the disorder. -
Develop new models of genomic screening for preventive health in cardiology.
We are investigating new ways of detecting heart diseases with genetic origins, such as cardiac amyloidosis, including identifying new biomarkers and determining the most effective heart imaging techniques to enable early diagnosis. -
Rapidly translate novel genomic research findings into clinical care for diverse patients.
Our research efforts are aimed at bringing new discoveries from the lab to the patient’s bedside quickly and effectively. Our findings are also help address disparities in health care across ethnic backgrounds with targeted treatments.
