Centenary Institute heart research features in the Sydney Morning Herald

28 November, 2022

Media coverage

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported study findings from the Centenary Institute that found that concealed cardiomyopathy – heart muscle disease that can cause fatal heart rhythms – is an important cause of sudden cardiac death where no cause is found from autopsy.

The article, written by journalist Kate Aubusson, detailed that genetic testing can now help identify cases of concealed cardiomyopathy, which provides two key benefits – a cause of death and closure for families, and knowledge that can help guide care of surviving relatives.

Lead study author Dr Julia Isbister, a PhD student at the Centenary Institute’s Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology and University of Sydney – and senior study author, Professor Christopher Semsarian AM, Head of the Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology and cardiologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital – say that genetic testing of sudden cardiac death cases which are unexplained after autopsy should be broader so that concealed cardiomyopathy can be better identified.

The full Sydney Morning Herald article can be accessed online.

Further information on the Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology can be found on the Centenary Institute website here.