VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA

[AT2]

OK,T  I HAVE  A HX OF HEART ARRHYTHMIA IN MY FAMILY. MY MOM HAD VT AND MY UNCLE HAD VT, MY UNCLE HAD A HEART TRANSPLANT BUT NEVER MADE IT HOME, MY MOM ALSO HAD A HEART TRANSPLANT 1 YR AGO AND IS DOING FINE. ALSO MY MOM'S SISTER IS WAITING TO BE PUT ON THE TRANSPLANT LIST,BUT SHE DOES HAVE VT SHE HAS SEVERE CHF. SO MY QUESTION IS WHY DO THE DR'S SAY IT IS NOT HERITARY.THERE TROUBLE ALL STARTED ABOUT THE SAME AGE 40-45.
I HAD ENDOCARDITIS 6 YR AGO AND NOW HAVE MITRAL VALVE PORLASPE WITH MILD TO MODERATE REGURG
CAN U TELL ME WHAT THE CHANCES OF ME HAVING VT IN THE FUTURE?
THANKS ALOT

[AT2]

THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY,JUST WONDER IF A PERSON DOES CARRY THE GENE IF THEY COULD FIX IT?

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

It sounds like your family has a hereditary cardiomyopathy.  That is too many heart transplants to be a coincidence.

It is hard to say what your chances are.  If it is a dominant trait, every sibling has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene and being affected.  They usually do not work that way.  It is possible to carry the gene and have no affect at all or have only mild effects (this is called variable penetrance and expressivity).  If you have a concerns, it is probably best to see a cardiologist.  It does not sound like you are affected.  If I saw someone like yourself in clinic I would probably order routine echos every few years to evaluate your heart function and catch it early if it does happen.

I hope this answers  your question.