A new study from the All of Us research program reveals that inherited heart conditions may be more common than previously thought—and that South Asian individuals face a particularly high risk. Researchers found that 1.2% of people with South Asian ancestry carried pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in cardiomyopathy genes, compared to 0.8% of those with European or African ancestry and 0.5% of East Asian individuals.
“These findings highlight the need for larger, more ethnically diverse cohorts,” said Dr. Pankaj Arora and colleagues, who led the study. They emphasized the importance of refining genetic screening methods and understanding ancestry-specific risks.
Carriers of these variants were significantly more likely to develop heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmia. For example, the rate of cardiomyopathy among carriers was more than four times higher than among non-carriers. The researchers argue that targeted genetic screening could help identify high-risk individuals earlier, especially in South Asian communities.
“Early identification of carriers and subsequent preventive efforts may have a higher yield in this ancestry group,” the authors wrote. They also advocated for cascade screening within families, which could lead to more actionable results.
Despite the growing availability of genetic testing, the infrastructure for universal screening remains limited. In a resource-constrained environment, the study suggests prioritizing individuals with existing heart conditions or those from high-risk ancestry groups.
See “Race May Factor Into Genetic Screening for Inherited Cardiomyopathy” (May 29, 2025)
