Cardiovascular Genetic Counseling

Saint Luke’s offers cardiovascular genetic counseling services to help patients and their families understand how inherited genes may contribute to cardiovascular conditions.

Our genetic counselors help you: 

• Understand the risks of sudden cardiac events, such as cardiac arrest, aneurysms, or dissections
• Identify family members who may need genetic screening 
• Make informed decisions around preventive procedures 

Interested in genetic counseling? Talk with your Saint Luke's cardiologist about a referral.  

Conditions that benefit from genetic counseling

Saint Luke’s cardiovascular genetic counselors frequently partner with subspecialty teams within Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute including: 

Electrophysiology (heart rhythm) 
Counselors identify inherited arrhythmias and "channelopathies" that affect the heart's electrical system. They assess the risk of sudden cardiac arrest and manage the psychosocial impact of living with a life-threatening rhythm disorder. 

• Key conditions: Long QT syndrome (LQTS), Brugada syndrome, and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) 

Heart failure and transplant 
Counselors diagnose genetic cardiomyopathies, where the heart muscle is physically abnormal. They identify family members who may need screening before symptoms appear, which can prevent advanced heart failure or the need for a transplant. 

• Key conditions: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ARVC) 

Vascular medicine and cardiac surgery 
Counselors diagnose conditions affecting the structural integrity of the aorta and other major blood vessels. Help patients understand the risks of aortic aneurysms or dissections and coordinate preventive procedures. 

• Key conditions: Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome 

Lipidology (preventive cardiology) 
Counselors identify inherited forms of dangerously high cholesterol, helping differentiate between lifestyle-driven high cholesterol and genetic familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), which requires more aggressive early treatment. 

• Key conditions: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and other heritable lipid metabolism disorders 

Indications for genetic counseling referral 

We encourage patients with a family history that suggests a hereditary cardiovascular condition be referred for genetic counseling. A suggestive family history includes: 

• Unexplained cardiac arrest(s) or sudden death 
• Unexplained syncope, syncope with exercise, or emotional distress 
• Unexplained seizures, seizures with normal neurological evaluation 
• ICD/pacemaker (<50 years) 
• Heart failure (<60 years) 
• Heart transplant (<60 years) 
• Cardiomyopathy or “enlarged heart” 
• Arrhythmia or “irregular heartbeat” 
• Exercise intolerance 
• Early “heart attack”, coronary artery disease, or stroke (Males <55 years; Females <65 years) 
• Aortic aneurysm/dissection (< 50 years) 
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 
• Unexplained accidents, such as drowning or single car accident 
• Untreated LDL ≥190