MUSChealth.org/heart | 23 MUSC HEALTH HEART & VASCULAR CENTER “Sometimes people carry a genetic abnormality toward cardiomyopathy or aortic disease,” he said. “And then they never develop the problem, but their family member does. So identifying risks and starting medication at an early stage to prevent more problems later on are our main motivations.” With hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), for instance, patients may not experience any symptoms before a sudden cardiac event. HCM is the most common cause for sudden cardiac death in athletes, according to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. As Dr. Judge likes to say, “Knowledge is power. Knowing about a genetic tendency can prevent you from being caught by surprise.” Certain treatments can prevent or lower the likelihood of complications. IN OUR DNA SC As part of a genomics screening program designed to identify risks of certain conditions in South Carolina and expand the data in anonymous genetic registries about the Southeast, Judge is leading an MUSC Health study called “In Our DNA SC.” Through a strategic collaboration with genomics company Helix, MUSC Health is hoping the research will help physicians and researchers understand certain genetic conditions. This program also helps identify genetic risk factors for cancer and cardiovascular disease. With a statewide initiative to enroll 100,000 patients in the program over the next four years, “In Our DNA SC” offers genetic screening for some conditions at no cost to participants. In the first year alone, Judge and his team have enrolled more than 20,000 adults across the state. Judge points to Iceland as an example of a region with a robust and well-characterized cohort of people who’ve been there their whole lives, and he hopes improving South Carolina’s genetic familiarity will provide insights regionally and help improve the overall standard of care, as well as grow treatment options. Like a puzzle coming together, the rapid advancements in genetic studies have transformed MUSC Health’s understanding of heart failure. Dr. Judge and his team will continue to unravel its complexities and pave the way for more effective ways to fight this life-threatening condition. Learn more: web.musc.edu/inourdnasc. (Note: This is a modified version of an article written by Celia Spell and posted on MUSC Health’s Progressnotes, Winter 2023) Dr. Daniel Judge received his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania and did his postgraduate training in internal medicine, cardiology and advanced heart failure/transplant cardiology at Johns Hopkins. FAST FACTS ABOUT CARDIOMYOPATHY Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. As the disease progresses, it can cause the heart muscle to become weaker. Cardiomyopathy can result in heart failure or irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmias; some cases are asymptomatic. Cardiomyopathy can be caused by other heart and circulatory conditions (acquired cardiomyopathy), but it can also be inherited. This means a faulty gene can be passed down through families. Some family members may be affected more than others, and some may not be affected or have any symptoms.
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