Increasing use of genetic testing means people may discover they have a gene variant associated with some types of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A new scientific statement, published in March 2023 in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, aims to help individuals and health care professionals understand what to do when… Continue reading Genetic Testing And Heart Disease
Tag: genetic testing
The Truth About Genetic Testing and Medications
Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a link between your genetic makeup and which medicine is good for you? In some cases, you can; in other cases, it’s best not to take a test at all if the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t looked at it. There’s no doubt that genetic… Continue reading The Truth About Genetic Testing and Medications
Genetic Testing and Cardiovascular Surgery
Using genetic testing to inform which blood thinner to use following a procedure to open narrowed blood vessels resulted in significantly fewer complications among patients, according to new research in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, an American Heart Association journal. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death, and stroke is… Continue reading Genetic Testing and Cardiovascular Surgery
Your Genes Are Not Your Health Destiny!
Insight into my DNA has been made possible by personal genomics. Now, I am able to know whether I have cancer-causing or other alterations in my genes. However, you might be someone who adamantly refuses to learn about your genes and whether you are at risk for certain diseases. Avoiding information that threatens happiness or health… Continue reading Your Genes Are Not Your Health Destiny!
Physicians’ Misunderstanding of Genetic Test Results May Hamper Mastectomy Decisions
A 2017 survey of over 2,000 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer found that half of those who undergo bilateral mastectomy after genetic testing don’t actually have mutations known to confer increased risk of additional cancers. That is the finding of a study done by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and four… Continue reading Physicians’ Misunderstanding of Genetic Test Results May Hamper Mastectomy Decisions
Genetic Testing: Is It for You?
Have you ever wondered whether you should undergo genetic testing? It’s a complicated decision, and you should consider talking to a genetic counselor before making your choice. Here, the experts from SeniorHealth, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), tell you the pros and the cons: In a genetic test, a small sample… Continue reading Genetic Testing: Is It for You?
Needed: More Genetic Testing for At-Risk Women
Physicians often fail to recommend genetic testing for breast cancer patients who are at high risk for mutations associated with ovarian and other cancers, according to a large study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and five other U.S. medical centers. Asian-Americans and older women were particularly likely to be “undertested.” Not… Continue reading Needed: More Genetic Testing for At-Risk Women
Is Genetic Testing for You?
Editor’s note: Genetic testing can be a frightening, expensive prospect – and it can also help you. How should you decide? Here, experts from the SeniorHealth division of the National Institutes of Health tell you what you need to know about this crucial choice. In a genetic test, a small sample of blood, saliva, or… Continue reading Is Genetic Testing for You?
Most People Eager to Know the Secrets of Their Genetics
A survey done by Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the UK of nearly 7,000 people has revealed that 98 per cent want to be informed if researchers using their genetic data stumble upon indicators of a serious preventable or treatable disease. The study, which comes after the government’s announcement that Genomics England will sequence 100,000… Continue reading Most People Eager to Know the Secrets of Their Genetics
Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancers: Moving Toward More Precise Prevention
By NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D. Inherited mutations in the BRCA1 gene and closely related BRCA2 gene account for about 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers and 15 percent of ovarian cancers [1]. For any given individual, the likelihood that one of these mutations is responsible goes up significantly in the presence… Continue reading Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancers: Moving Toward More Precise Prevention
Some Doctors Not Up to Date on Genetic Testing
Although genetic testing is becoming increasingly important, many primary care providers face challenges in making that part of a patient’s basic care, according to a new study published in Genetics in Medicine. Researchers from the University of Michigan reported that the most common reason given by primary care physicians (PCPs) was that they had insufficient… Continue reading Some Doctors Not Up to Date on Genetic Testing