Genetics and preventive health care.
BACKGROUND
Advances in our understanding of the genetics of common chronic disease is beginning to impact on clinical practice and preventive health care.


OBJECTIVE
This article discusses the potential for genetic medicine to inform disease prevention strategies. It describes two examples already affecting clinical general practice: familial hypercholesterolaemia and hereditary haemochromatosis. These represent important inherited conditions that, if diagnosed early, can be simply treated and their complications avoided.


CONCLUSIONS
General practitioners can play an important role in the early diagnosis of these conditions and subsequent screening of at risk relatives. These conditions highlight the potential for genetic medicine to be applied to support tailored disease prevention in general practice.
Emery
Jon
J
Discipline of General Practice, University of Western Australia. jon.emery@uwa.edu.au
Barlow-Stewart
Kristine
K
Metcalfe
Sylvia A
SA
Sullivan
David
D
D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D012307:Risk Factors