Genetic Markers for Coronary Artery Disease (Focus: CARDIOVASCULAR RISK ASSESSMENT‪)‬

The hereditary component of coronary artery disease (CAD) is widely recognized. However, identifying clinically useful genetic markers for a complex disease like CAD has been challenging. Linkage-based and association-based genetic studies have pointed to some interesting findings, but many of these studies have lacked reproducibility or statistical significance. Recently, genome-wide association (GWA) and microRNA discoveries have uncovered some potentially promising new markers for CAD. The current status of genetic markers for CAD and their utility in the clinical arena are summarized here. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial disease that can be influenced by a multitude of environmental and heritable risk factors. While there are many traditional and novel analyte risk markers associated with CAD, a large gap for CAD risk prediction remains. Epidemiological evidence points to an approximate 50% genetic susceptibility to CAD. Many different genetic associations with CAD have been identified through family and population-based analyses, and genetic risk markers may be important for better defining individuals at risk for CAD and CV events. Some potentially promising and interesting markers produced from such studies are highlighted here.