Three studies have identified a large number of genes linked to the development of heart disease among Europeans, South Asians, and Chinese people. The discoveries more than double the number of genes previously associated with heart disease, the No. 1 one killer in Western countries and a major health threat in China and other parts of Asia.In the study focusing on Europeans, the genes of more than 135,000 people were analyzed. Researchers compared healthy people with those who had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD). They found, in addition to the 10 previously known gene regions for CAD, 13 new gene regions. The findings were unexpected.
Key Takeaways:
- How people look and how their bodies work is dependent on genes that they inherited from their parents.
- Being aware of family medical history can help us to know if we have genes likely to cause heart disease.
- Some factors in family history that raise the risk of heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and excess weight.
“Many diseases run in families; heart conditions are no exception.”