A new test for a genetic condition linked to an increased risk of heart attack has been funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to expand beyond its pilots.
The test, for the condition familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) has succeeded in improving detection rates of the condition, which causes life threatening cholesterol. The BHF estimates that as many as 320,000 people are at risk of living with the disease undiagnosed.
The BHF has provided £900,000 to ensure that the test is rolled out nationwide. It works by testing all family members of a patient with the genetic defect that causes FH.
Joanne Whitmore, the FH clinical lead at the BHF, said: 'If high cholesterol is left unchecked, fatty materials can build up in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease. The problem with FH is that it dramatically increases the LDL cholesterol in the person's blood, causing a heart attack, commonly at a very young age. We know that cascade testing within families works, and the challenge is now to engage with NHS organisations and commissioners across Britain so that no family falls through the cracks.'