Patients

Rare heart diseases are usually inherited and are primarily associated with sudden death in the young. Today, large-scale preventative screening is taking place in Greece, targeting primarily young people who regularly and actively participate in sport and/or compete (locally, nationally, or internationally). This causes discrimination amongst the younger population, as pathological causes of sudden death in the young are not limited to athletes alone. Indeed, sudden death in younger age groups is primarily caused by inherited cardiovascular diseases, which constitute the core of the problem. Thus, the prevention of sudden death in the young is linked to the ability to diagnose and treat inherited cardiovascular diseases. But this is just part of the motivation to establish a national rare and inherited cardiac diseases research network in every country. This network will ensure equality in the right to the prevention of sudden death and the treatment of inherited cardiovascular diseases. By the project’s completion, 8000 patients and their relatives will have been clinically screened, while 600 patients and 2400 of their relatives will also have had genetic screening free of charge.

The Greek National Network of Precision Medicine in Cardiology and the Prevention of Sudden Death in the Young was established in July 2019.

• It is a partnership of Greek public and university hospitals and research institutions.
• It is funded by the General Secretariat of Research and Technology (GSRT) at the Ministry of Development and Investments, using funds from the national branch of the GSRT’s Public Investment Program.