Genetic heart disease registry in Australia
A National Genetic Heart Disease Registry, understood to be a world first, was officially launched last week but more than 300 families have been recruited to the cause since 2007. Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper reported that Professor Chris Semsarian said this number was expected to increase to more than 1,000 in the next five years, when the registry would play an increasingly vital role in supporting research and also saving lives.
“Nowhere else in the world has it been possible to collect information about this silent killer in one place,” said Professor Semsarian, who is head of the Molecular Cardiology Group at the Sydney-based Centenary Institute.
“The National Genetic Heart Disease Registry will lead to significant advances in research into genetic heart diseases, better treatment options and ultimately prevention of sudden cardiac deaths.”
The most common cause of genetic heart disease is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition which leads to a thickening of the heart muscle. It affects one in 500 Australians.
