Vanderbilt Heart

The Vanderbilt Center for Inherited Heart Disease (CIHD) specializes in the diagnosis and management of inherited cardiovascular disease in pediatric and adult patients. Our goal is to help patients and their family members determine if they are at risk for, or suffer from, a cardiovascular disease that can be inherited from one generation to the next. Our evaluation incorporates both traditional cardiovascular diagnostic tests (echocardiograms, electrocardiograms, etc.) as well as genetic testing. 

Identifying inherited heart disease
Patients of the Vanderbilt Center for Inherited Heart Disease are evaluated by a cardiologist, followed by a meeting with a trained genetics counselor so we can get a complete picture of their family's risk for heart disease. Depending on the result of a patient's clinical examination and genetic counseling session, they may be offered genetic testing. The results of genetic testing can be useful for both the individual patient and for other family members who are possibly at risk of developing the same cardiovascular condition. We work with each patient and their primary care physician to make a personalized plan for follow-up and preventive care based on the results of the evaluation. 

We offer the region's most comprehensive services for diagnosing and treating inherited heart and vascular diseases. The Center was developed by adult and pediatric cardiac physicians, as well as experts in cardiovascular genetics at Vanderbilt. This collaboration provides the highest level of care for our patients.


Meeting your needs

We provide expert consultation on:

• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
• Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy
• Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy/Dysplasia
• Heart Rhythm Disorder (Long QT Syndrome, Brugada Syndrome, CPVT)
• Marfan Syndrome/Familial Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection
• Familial Congenital Heart Disease

Improving care through research
The Vanderbilt Center for Inherited Heart Disease is involved in the discovery of novel genetic causes of familial cardiovascular disease. In addition, we are involved in multi-institutional collaborations that have begun to study novel methods to treat and prevent familial cardiovascular disease. 

Providers
Our providers have advanced training the management of cardiovascular disease with clinical and research experience in cardiovascular genetics. 

Cardiomyopathies:

• Jason Becker, M.D. (adult cardiology)
• Charles Hong, M.D., Ph.D. (adult cardiology)
• Vernat Exil, M.D. (pediatric cardiology)

Heart Rhythm Disorders:

• Dan Roden, M.D. (adult electrophysiology)
• Dawood Darbar, M.D., Ph.D. (adult electrophysiology)
• Prince Kannankeril, M.D., Ph.D. (pediatric electrophysiology)

Marfan Syndrome/Familial Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm/Familial Congenital Heart Disease:

• Larry Markham, M.D. (adult and pediatric congenital heart disease)

Genetic Counseling:

• Jean Pfotenhauer, M.S., C.G.C. (Genetic Counselor)