Hidden Heart Risk: DNA Reveals More Than Tests

A seemingly healthy individual can carry an inherited predisposition to coronary artery disease that routine tests may miss. Genetic testing, particularly polygenic risk scores, is emerging as a tool to uncover this hidden risk. These scores aggregate the effects of thousands of genetic variants, each with a small impact, to determine an individual's cumulative susceptibility.

Researchers have developed South Asian-specific genetic scores, showing increased coronary artery disease risk in the highest-risk groups within the UK, Bangladesh, and India. This is crucial because genetic scores perform differently across ancestries. While a high score doesn't guarantee heart disease, it signals a potentially higher inherited risk.

Genetic testing should complement, not replace, standard health checks like cholesterol monitoring and blood pressure screenings. It serves as a risk-enhancing tool, offering deeper insights, especially for those with a family history of premature heart disease, by identifying risks that conventional evaluations might overlook.