Overview

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is caused by a combination of lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors. It is estimated that 50 per cent of the susceptibility to CVD is genetic. This means two things. In the near term, we are missing half the picture when it comes to anticipating, preventing and treating heart disease. In the longer term, an understanding of cardiovascular genetics is necessary if we hope to curb or eliminate heart disease in the coming decades.

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is home to Canada’s foremost program in cardiovascular genetics, and many of our other research goals and programs involve significant work in genetics. This broad-based program encompasses strengths in coronary artery disease, cholesterol, arrhythmias, and regenerative medicine. Our ultimate goals include developing a genetic scorecard for CVD risk and laying the foundation for a truly personalized approach to CVD prevention and treatment.

Significant advances to date include:

• Identifying the 9p21 DNA sequence that increases susceptibility to heart disease by up to 40 per cent regardless of other established risks such as cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes
• Discovering that one of the most common forms of heart disease—atrial fibrillation (AF)—is caused by a genetic mutation that occurs during development in the womb.
• Identifying of significant genetic variations between people who exhibit early coronary artery disease and those who do not.
• Unlocking the mechanism that controls a gene responsible for weight loss in muscle tissue.