Polygenic Risk Score: Can Your Genes Tell You If Heart Disease Is in Your Future?
Have you ever noticed that heart disease seems to run in certain families? If your parent, grandparent, or sibling has had a heart attack or heart disease, you may have wondered — am I also at risk?
Dr. Nikhila Pachani, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Backbone Medicity Hospital, Rajkot, recently shared an important message about a tool called the polygenic risk score — and why it matters for your heart health.
What Is a Polygenic Risk Score?
A polygenic risk score (PGS) is a way of measuring your genetic risk for heart disease by looking at many small changes across your genes — not just one single gene.
Think of it this way: each tiny gene change adds a small amount of risk. On its own, one change may mean very little. But when hundreds or thousands of these small changes are added together, they produce a total risk score that tells doctors how likely you are to develop heart disease over your lifetime.
This is different from older genetic tests that only looked for one specific "bad" gene. A polygenic risk score gives a much bigger and more complete picture.
Why Does This Matter?
One of the most valuable things about a polygenic risk score is that it can identify people who are at higher risk before any symptoms appear. This means a person in their 30s or 40s — who feels perfectly fine — could learn early that their heart needs extra attention and care.
Early identification allows doctors to act sooner, monitor more closely, and recommend lifestyle changes or treatment before a serious event like a heart attack occurs.
Your Genes Are Not Your Destiny
Here is the most reassuring part of Dr. Pachani's message: having a high genetic risk does not mean you will definitely get heart disease.
Genes load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger — and lifestyle is something you can control. Steps that can significantly lower your risk include:
- Eating a heart-healthy diet — less fried food, salt, and sugar
- Staying physically active — even a 30-minute walk daily helps
- Not smoking and limiting alcohol
- Managing stress, blood pressure, and diabetes
- Going for regular heart check-ups, especially if heart disease runs in your family
Modern cardiology, including tools like the polygenic risk score, is moving toward preventing heart disease rather than just treating it after it happens. This is a significant step forward for patients across Rajkot and Gujarat.
If heart disease runs in your family or you have concerns about your heart health, consider speaking with a qualified cardiologist to understand your personal risk and the right steps for you.