Genetic Testing for Heritable Cardiovascular Diseases in Pediatric Patients

Published: August 20, 2021

Close up of a pediatrician having a medical exam done on his patient.
  • Heritable diseases that affect the cardiovascular system are relatively common, including cardiac channelopathies, cardiomyopathies, acropathies, dyslipidemias, and structural diseases of the heart and great vessels.
  • The wide availability of clinical genetic testing helps with understanding the origins of these diseases, yet guidance for cardiovascular genetic testing is mainly focused on adults.
  • This statement synthesizes guidance for the use of cardiovascular genetic testing in the pediatric population, with emphasis on balancing the risks versus benefits of genetic testing in infants, children, and adolescents, and considering the unique challenges of testing in this vulnerable population.