Aims of the Clinic
At the Family Heart Screening Clinic, we perform clinical screening evaluations on persons who may be at risk of having an inherited cardiac disease. These people may have a family history of sudden cardiac death or SADS, or may have a living family member with an inherited cardiac disease.
SADS stands for "sudden arrhythmic death syndrome". It is diagnosed when a person dies unexpectedly and in seemingly good health, and where the post mortem evaluation does not identify a clear cause of death. SADS can be a frightening and confusing diagnosis for the family who have been bereaved. Families can contact us if they have received a post-mortem diagnosis of SADS, and we can arrange screening. Other families can be referred to us for screening through their general practitioner. We also evaluate people for such conditions as cardiomyopathies (heart muscle diseases), including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC); and channelopathies (diseases which affect tiny regulatory channels of the heart's cells) such as the Long QT Syndrome, and the Brugada syndrome.
Our clinic aims are to diagnose and manage the risk of inheritable cardiac diseases and SADS in at-risk families. We try to help families understand the diagnosis of SADS and the possible causes underlying the death of their loved one. We perform our evaluations in a supportive and calm environment, and treat patients in a holistic, family-centred way. Clinical family screening can identify the cause of the SADS in approximately 25% of deaths, and genetic studies can help us identify the cause in another 15-20%. Because our clinic is supported by charitable donations, there is no charge for attending the Family Heart Screening Clinic.
