We are now living in the world of modern healthcare, where innovation is changing the way we provide patient care. Studies prove that genetic testing has the potential to save patients from congenital diseases and cancers, opening doors to preventive medicine. When medical health professionals are able to understand their patient’s health conditions at the genetic level, it becomes easier to plan for their healthcare.

Primary care providers can provide early and well-planned treatment to prevent serious health consequences and risks to the patient’s life. The sad fact is that for a variety of diseases, genetic detection analysis is not possible, given that the onset of such conditions can be severe and sudden. However, it is possible to soften the blow of a debilitating disease by reducing the severity of potential symptoms. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid the onset of the disease in early life. In short, the physician’s ability to treat a disease can be improved with genetic screening. It offers a way to enhance the quality of the patient’s life by a considerable level. 

Genetic and hereditary testing

There are several genetic and hereditary health issues, including breast cancer, autism, prostate cancer, skin cancer, and retinitis pimentos. Genetic and hereditary testing analyzes potential mutations in the DNA that are linked to a variety of diseases and conditions including cancers. Studies reveal that there are thousands of disorders that are closely linked to genetics. Medical health experts have invented hundreds of tests to detect such conditions. Analyzing genetic changes in patients and their family members can help to avoid serious consequences.

By observing the patterns of diagnosis, primary care professionals can recommend the My Concierge BRCA Test to patients. Genes exist in the chromosomes and are basically the matter of DNA. An individual’s genes come from their parents, dictating the growth of the body. When they are in normal condition, the individual develops and performs as expected. But the DNA is damaged or abnormal, this can lead to serious disease. The process is better known as gene mutations. These mutations are hereditary and are passed through generations. They are also known as inherited diseases. In these cases, gene mutation can be the main cause of disease. 

Genetic testing helps to observe any potential changes in the genes. These tests can be conducted over tissues, saliva, or blood. Some of the most common reasons to undergo genetic testing are to identify the type of disease and address its early root causes. It can be helpful for patients to know the best treatment options for their health condition and to understand the risk of getting certain health issues that can be prevented at an early stage. For those who are expecting or wish to have children, awareness of genetic or hereditary conditions is crucial.

This article is not professional medical advice. Consult with experienced medical health professionals to review your family history and genetic conditions to learn about when you should get tested and what preventive procedures can be undergone at different stages of life. 

Heart disease remains the most pernicious killer in America today, as one in four deaths can be attributed to one or more of the conditions and diseases that affect our hearts. Heart disease can range from arteries becoming clogged, heart muscles themselves becoming enlarged, or irregularities in the valves of the heart.

Heart disease can emerge from genetic conditions, congenital defects, or poor lifestyle choices. As many as 1/3 of heart disease diagnoses can be attributed to genetic and congenital conditions, many of which can be alleviated by early treatment. Knowing the difference between the two categories can help you determine the cause of any symptoms you may be experiencing, and lead to a better prognosis in the future.

Lifestyle Heart Disease

Many factors in how we each live our lives may contribute to the health of our hearts. The food we eat, the amount of activity we get, and the substances we allow into our body have a tremendous impact on many of our organs, the heart highest among them.

Obesity, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle are some of the major contributing factors to many lifestyle-based heart diseases. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), a disease caused by plaque building up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart itself, is extremely common and one of the most correlated with poor lifestyle choices. With each lifestyle factor, you become significantly more likely to acquire the disease, meaning with one factor chances were multiplied by 3, two by 7, and all three making you 23 times more likely to acquire CAD in your lifetime.

While CAD is the most common heart disease associated with lifestyle choices, almost all heart diseases are at least somewhat influenced by your choices. Heart health in general is highly sensitive to how you live your life, meaning high levels of activity, cessation of smoking, and weight reduction will most likely produce better health outcomes regardless of the origination of your heart condition.

Genetic Heart Disease

A number of heart diseases can originate from genetics and are passed down from our families. This can include congenital ventricle issues and other types of physical impairments, but the most common genetic heart conditions are the following:

• Cardiomyopathy – A disease that involves a weakening of the heart muscle, which makes it more difficult to pump blood throughout the body
• Arrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat that occurs when the electrical impulses that coordinate the heartbeat do not work properly, which causes a fast, slow, or irregular beat
• Arteriopathy – flaws in the circulatory system that cause irregularities in the flow of blood around the body

Genetic heart conditions are often accompanied by an early death, so it’s imperative that you get tested for one of these conditions if you know of a close or even a distant relative that died of a genetic heart condition. There are a number of different testing companies and methods, but only one that we recommend for its thoroughness and speed: My Concierge Heart Health test.

Where, When, and How To Get Tested For Genetic Heart Conditions

With many hospitals and clinics limiting the number of patients that can come in due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at-home testing is proving to be one of the most valuable options available to many people experiencing the symptoms of genetic heart diseases. Many companies offer take-home tests, but My Concierge’s genetic tests provide the most comprehensive and thorough results and a quick turnaround time for results.

If you know a family member who has died or has been diagnosed with a congenital or genetic heart condition, we highly recommend immediately ordering a genetic health test screening to determine whether or not you are in danger of having the same disease. The test is easy, painless, and quick, and if it helps catch a genetic heart condition early, the prognosis is much better than if diagnosed in the later stages of the disease.