Cardiac muscle
Despite decades of research, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the industrialized world. The human heart beats roughly 100,000 times a day pushing 2,000 gallons, or about five quarts a minute. Disorders that affect the abilities of cardiac muscle to beat normally are called cardiomyopathies. They can affect people of any age, race or sex, and are often inherited. Cardiomyopathy poses a significant health risk, leading to heart failure. More than half of all heart transplants are due to cardiomyopathies.
Among the most common of cardiomyopathies is atrial fibrillation or AFib, a form of cardiac arrhythmia in which the heart beats abnormally: usually too fast and irregularly. More than 5 million people in the U.S. have AFib, which in 2021 was cited in 232,030 death certificates and named as the underlying cause of death in 28,037. The risk of developing AFib is increased by congenital defects, heart attacks, high blood pressure, pneumonia, viral infections and sleep disorders. The biggest risk factor is age with roughly 10% of people over age 65 developing AFib. How genetics, age and other risk factors interact to cause AFib is unknown.
At Sanford Burnham Prebys, researchers are investigating the gene networks that result in AFib. Recently, Alexandre Colas, PhD, and Karen Ocorr, PhD, with colleagues elsewhere, published findings that describe a multi-model platform for identifying causative genes for AFib, a major step toward finding new treatments.
About the art: Odra Noel is a medical doctor and PhD in basic science, with additional degrees in aesthetics and music. Her silk paintings focus primarily on human biology, often informed by microscopy. Wellcome Collection.