Time for education in cardiogenetics

In all emerging fields of medicine, the discovery of new knowledge is followed by a process of translation into clinical practice. This requires the development of rapidly evolving processes for the transmission of new advances to clinicians and for implementation into everyday practice. The field of clinical cardiovascular genetics encompasses clinical diagnosis, genetic testing and counseling, and clinical management of a wide range of inherited disorders of the cardiovascular system. These include fetal cardiovascular disorders, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathies, arrhythmias, conduction disorders and disorders of blood vessels, as well as multiple malformation syndromes, metabolic disorders, familial dyslipidemias, neuromuscular diseases, vascular disease in connective tissue disorders, haematological conditions and mitochondrial diseases. The management of such a diverse and complex group of disorders requires an integrated multi-disciplinary approach by appropriately trained and resour - ced healthcare professionals. In order to ensure that such services are provided for patients and families in the future, it is our view that the time has come for a much greater emphasis on clinical cardiovascular genetics in basic training and post-graduate education.