A new tool to calculate the generic risk score of people likely to develop coronary heart disease in advance has been created by an Indian-origin scientist and his team of researchers. The invention may pave way for early and personalized preventive interventions.

Genetic factors have long been known to make a significant contribution to CHD risk. Recent advances in genetics have led to the identification of many Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) very small differences in our DNA that vary from person to person.

According to the researchers, they created a score by looking at over 49,000 SNPs, known as a genomic risk score (GRS) and showed that the higher the GRS the higher the future risk of CHD.

The study was conducted by the University of Leicester in the UK. It is the first to look at a much larger number of SNPs to give a fuller picture of an individual's genetic risk of developing CHD.

Nilesh Samani from the University of Leicester, said that, "This is the first really large study showing the potential benefits of using a genetic risk score over and above current methods to identify people at increased risk of coronary heart disease,"

"We already know that CHD starts at an early age, several decades before symptoms develop, and preventative measures should ideally be applied much earlier, especially to those who are at increased risk," he said.

"Current clinical risk scores are not good at evaluating risk until middle-age. On the other hand the GRS, which is based on your DNA, can be applied at any age," Samani said.

"Earlier identification of people who would most benefit from lifestyle changes and medication to reduce their risk of a heart attack could save countless lives," he added.

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- Nandini