Inherited cardiac conditions are a group of genetic disorders that can affect the heart muscle and the heart rhythm. They are conditions that are passed on through families and can affect people of any age.
Inherited conditions are conditions or characteristics that are passed on genetically through families. Physical characteristics such as eye colour, hair colour and height are all inherited from parents through a combination of their genes.
Similarly some illnesses can be inherited through a combination of parental genes, despite parents not presenting with the condition.
The most common inherited heart conditions are;
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle which affects its size, shape and structure. Common cardiomyopathies include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy.
The most common Inherited Arrythmias or abnormal heart rhythms are;
Brugada Syndrome: a genetic disorder of the heart rhythm that can cause ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac arrest.
Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT): a disorder of the calcium channels in the heart muscle, resulting in problems with electrical signalling and irregular heartbeats, especially during exercise.
Long QT Syndrome: a prolonged electrical recovery phase (QT interval) of the heartbeat that can result in rapid, chaotic beats.
Symptoms can be dizzy spells, palpitations and blackouts, however some people with inherited heart conditions have no symptoms and sadly the first sign that something is wrong can be when someone dies with no obvious cause.