Genetics and preventive health care

Abstract

Background: Advances in our understanding of the genetics of common chronic disease is beginning to impact on clinical practice and preventive health care. Objective: This article discusses the potential for genetic medicine to inform disease prevention strategies. It describes two examples already affecting clinical general practice: familial hypercholesterolaemia and hereditary haemochromatosis. These represent important inherited conditions that, if diagnosed early, can be simply treated and their complications avoided. Discussion: General practitioners can play an important role in the early diagnosis of theseconditions and subsequent screening of at risk relatives. These conditions high..