|
Cardiovascular Genetics Program |
|
The Cardiovascular Genetics Program includes two clinical activities: the Adult Medical Genetics Program (AMGP) and the Familial Cardiomyopathy Clinic.
|
|
The AMGP is an innovative and unique program that has been developed within the Department of Medicine. Luisa Mestroni, MD, directs the program and Matthew Taylor, MD, who is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Clinical Genetics, oversees the clinical aspects of AMGP. Jennie Feiger, BA, MS is a board certified genetics counselor in the AMGP Clinic.
The clinical evaluation, diagnostic testing, and management of genetic disorders affecting adults is a rapidly growing field. Much of this has been fueled by the successes of the Human Genome Project, which has greatly expanded knowledge and technology resources relevant to human genetic disorders. In the past decade nearly 1,000 genetic tests for human disorders have been developed. In the context of cardiovascular disorders there are now multiple genetic tests available for: long QT syndromes, dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, Marfan syndrome, amyloidosis, familial combined hyperlipidemia, and Williams syndrome .
Traditionally, clinical genetic medicine has been largely a subspecialty enterprise in Pediatric departments, reflecting the long-standing knowledge of the role of genetic factors in congenital abnormalities in children. The advances in understanding of adult genetic disorders, including the recognition that the majority of adult-onset, common, chronic illness are influenced by genetic factors argue that clinical programs to serve this adult population are needed. The AMGP clinic is the only adult general-genetics clinic in the Rocky Mountain region and provides unique service to patients and to families.
In the clinic we provided clinical services for the evaluation, diagnosis, genetic testing, and management of genetic disorders that affect adults and their families. Genetic counseling provided by a trained genetic counselor is also provided through the clinic. We are also able to assist with interfacing with insurance companies to secure preauthorization for medically indicated genetic testing.
Referrals are coordinated through UPI (303-493-8333) and the clinic is housed in the Heart Center on Monday mornings.
In addition to the unique clinical services the AMGP provides education about genetics to Medicine Housestaff, Cardiology Fellows, Clinical Genetics Fellows, and Genetic Counseling Students. Human genetic research is coordinated through the Molecular-Genetics arm of the CU-Cardiovascular Institute.
|
|
The Familial Cardiomyopathy Clinic is a leader program at international level that has been developed within the Division of Cardiology. Luisa Mestroni, MD, directs the clinic, in collaboration with Matthew Taylor, MD, and Lisa Ku, BS, MS, board certified genetics counselor, is the Study Coordinator in the Clinic. The Clinic is supported by grant funding of the National health Institute, the American Heart Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. A large, unique population of patients and families with various forms of cardiomyopathy from the Rocky Mountain area as well as nationwide have been followed by the clinic since 1999.
|
|
-AMGP has contracted with Kaiser Permanente to provide genetic counseling to patients and families who do not need to be seen by the Genetics MD
-The AMGP will shortly begin offering genetic counseling to patients (on a pay-out-of-pocket basis) to patients who do not need to see the Genetics MD
-AMGP is working on a plan to develop a Cardiovascular Genetics Clinical Service. This clinic will provide genetic services specific to cardiovascular disorders within the Heart Center and will be able to interface with existing clinics that commonly see patients with suspected genetic conditions (e.g. Adult Congenital Heart Disease, EP, CHF/Cardiomyopathies).
|
|
Matt Taylor, MD PhD
Director, Cardiovascular Genetics
|
|
|