22 | MUSChealth.org/heart MUSC HEALTH HEART & VASCULAR CENTER Imagine heart failure as a complex puzzle that researchers and scientists have been trying to solve for decades. Initially, they had limited knowledge of the puzzle’s inner workings and could only observe its external features. However, with advances in genetic studies and technology, researchers gained access to the puzzle’s genetic code – the detailed and fundamental blueprint that governs its design and function. The MUSC Health Cardiovascular Genetic Program, launched by Dr. Daniel Judge, a professor of medicine in cardiology at MUSC, is the only cardiac genetics center in the state. The team of genetic counselors in the Center share Dr. Judge’s dedication to discovering genetic reasons for heart failure or heart failure patients’ symptoms – information that could significantly shape their care. Whether it be a cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, connective tissue disorder or amyloidosis, patients at MUSC Health can meet with a cardiac genetics counselor to discuss their medical and family history, as well as learn what their results mean for them and their relatives. Dr. Judge is clear to point out that just because patients test positive for an abnormal gene, they are not doomed to receive a negative diagnosis. The presence of an abnormal gene suggests a tendency or risk for a condition in their lifetime, not an inevitable likelihood that it will develop. The opportunity to make a difference is one of the things that excites him so much about genetics. People can make lifestyle changes to stave off the disease or schedule scans and tests to catch the problem early. INHERITED CARDIOMYOPATHY Collaboration Solves Complex Puzzle Dr. Daniel Judge and team
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