Heart Failure Genetic Risk — cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of heart failure in young adults, and approximately 30-50% has a genetic cause where the specific gene determines whether early ICD placement, disease-specific therapy, or family screening is needed.
Whole genome sequencing evaluates all cardiomyopathy and heart failure genes — TTN, LMNA, MYH7, MYBPC3, SCN5A, RBM20, FLNC, DES, PLN — providing the gene-specific diagnosis that guides ICD decisions, therapy selection, and family cascade screening.
Heart Failure — Genetic Risk
Heart failure affects approximately 6.7 million American adults, with cardiomyopathy as a leading cause — particularly in younger patients. Approximately 30-50% of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and up to 60% of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has an identifiable genetic cause. TTN truncation variants (TTNtv) are the most common genetic cause of DCM, accounting for approximately 20-25% of familial DCM. Other key DCM genes include LMNA (lamin A/C — 5-10% of familial DCM), MYH7, MYBPC3, TNNT2, RBM20, FLNC, DES, and PLN. HCM is caused primarily by MYH7 and MYBPC3 (together ~70% of genotype-positive HCM).
Gene-specific heart failure management is increasingly well-defined. LMNA variants confer high arrhythmic risk disproportionate to the degree of ventricular dysfunction — standard heart failure guidelines (which recommend ICD at LVEF ≤35%) are INSUFFICIENT for LMNA-DCM, where sudden cardiac death can occur with preserved or mildly reduced LVEF. European guidelines recommend ICD implantation in LMNA-DCM at LVEF ≤45% with additional risk factors. FLNC truncation variants also carry high arrhythmic risk with specific surveillance implications. PLN (phospholamban) R14del is associated with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy requiring early ICD.
Beyond device decisions, genetic diagnosis of cardiomyopathy enables family cascade screening — identifying first-degree relatives at 50% risk who benefit from cardiac surveillance (echocardiography, ECG, cardiac MRI) before symptoms develop. Presymptomatic identification allows initiation of neurohormonal therapy (ACE inhibitors/ARBs, beta-blockers) when early ventricular dysfunction is detected — before clinical heart failure develops. Mavacamten (Camzyos), a cardiac myosin inhibitor, is FDA-approved specifically for obstructive HCM — a gene-specific targeted therapy.
LMNA-DCM patients die of sudden cardiac death at LVEF >35% — the threshold where standard guidelines recommend ICD. Gene-specific LMNA guidelines lower the ICD threshold to prevent these deaths. Without molecular diagnosis, LMNA patients don't receive appropriately early ICDs.
Standard heart failure guidelines use LVEF <35% for ICD decisions. LMNA patients die at LVEF 40-50%. Gene-specific management saves lives by lowering intervention thresholds for high-risk genotypes.
LMNA-DCM requires ICD at higher LVEF than standard guidelines — molecular diagnosis prevents sudden cardiac death
Multiple studies demonstrate that LMNA-DCM has a malignant arrhythmic phenotype — ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death can occur when LVEF is only mildly reduced (40-50%). The standard heart failure ICD threshold of LVEF ≤35% would leave these patients unprotected. European guidelines now recommend ICD consideration in LMNA-DCM at LVEF ≤45% with additional risk factors (NSVT, male sex, non-missense variants). This gene-specific threshold is only applied when LMNA is molecularly confirmed.
Mavacamten is FDA-approved specifically for obstructive HCM — the first gene-pathway-targeted heart failure therapy
Mavacamten (Camzyos) inhibits cardiac myosin ATPase activity, reducing hypercontractility in HCM. It is FDA-approved for symptomatic obstructive HCM and produces substantial improvements in LVOT gradient, symptoms, and exercise capacity. Genetic testing confirming HCM-causing sarcomeric variants (MYH7, MYBPC3) supports the diagnosis and may predict mavacamten response. Additionally, the genetic context distinguishes sarcomeric HCM from phenocopies (Fabry disease, amyloidosis, Danon disease) that resemble HCM but require completely different treatment.
Your full DNA (not just a part of it)
Traditional genetic testing looks at narrow sets of genes, missing most parts of your genome. We sequence your full genome — every gene and every region between genes.
Comprehensive insights and specialized reports
Easy to read and with answers you and your doctor can act on. Not a file to interpret — 200+ clinical reports, organized by category.
Your test becomes more valuable every year
Your DNA does not change, but genome science is accelerating. Every month, new variant-disease associations are discovered. We validate these findings and update your reports automatically. Your test becomes more valuable every year.
The results doctors bring to their hardest cases.
Forty years of uncertainty. One test.
A patient had spent decades in the UK healthcare system without a diagnosis. Dante data, accepted by NHS clinical teams at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow, identified Noonan Syndrome and a RUNX1 leukemia-associated variant that had gone undetected. After 40 years, they finally had an answer.
A complete read delivers a complete picture.
A patient came to Dante to investigate periodic paralysis. Reading the complete genome identified a concurrent hereditary cardiac finding — Brugada syndrome — that their doctor confirmed with an ECG. The result also explained a family member's unresolved cardiac history. One test. Every answer in it.
Sequenced in 2019. The data worked in 2021.
Jennifer sequenced her genome with Dante two years before her breast cancer diagnosis. When treatment began, Dante's pharmacogenomics data showed her prescribed chemotherapy would cause serious adverse effects. Her doctor selected an alternative — and she started effective treatment from day one.
Every genetic question deserves a complete answer.
Whether you are searching for answers today or protecting your health for tomorrow, a complete read of your entire genome is the only place to start.
It runs in your family. Now you can know if it runs in your genes.
Your genome contains inherited variants associated with medical conditions like cardiac, cancer, and neurological. We read all of them — with the clinical depth to give the result meaning.
Learn more →When traditional lab tests say you're fine. And you know you're not.
Standard diagnostic tests check for a pre-selected set of answers. We sequence your full DNA — including parts that no test was designed to check. If the answer is in your genome, we will help you find it.
Learn more →Your diagnosis may be right. Your treatment plan may be incomplete.
Your genes determine which treatments are most likely to work — and which are not. We give your doctor the tools and insights to inform your treatment plan.
Learn more →You want to know before something forces the question.
Some people don't wait for a diagnosis or a family history to act. Whole genome sequencing gives you the complete genetic picture now — so you and your doctor can make informed decisions before anything becomes urgent.
Learn more →You already took a DNA test. Here's what it couldn't tell you.
Most consumer DNA tests read less than 0.1% of your genome. We read all of it.
Learn more →Clinical-grade results. Chosen by individuals, trusted by doctors for their most complex cases.
Dante Genome Test helped specialists at a UK national acute hospital in the identification of Noonan Syndrome and a rare leukemia-associated genetic variant that had gone undetected. That result changed the medical care of the patient.
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Common questions about whole genome sequencing.
What is the difference between whole genome sequencing and a targeted genetic test?
Targeted genetic tests — including standard hereditary cancer panels — read a pre-defined list of known variants in a specific set of genes. They are designed to find what they already know to look for. Whole genome sequencing reads your entire genome: all 6 billion base pairs, every gene, every region between genes. A Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Oncology found that standard testing guidelines missed more than half of patients with inherited cancer mutations. Genome Test does not have a fixed list.
What will I receive when my results are ready?
Your Dante Genome delivers 200+ physician-ready reports organized by clinical category — hereditary cancer, cardiac conditions, rare diseases, pharmacogenomics, carrier status, and more. Reports are delivered to your secure Genome Manager and are formatted for direct clinical use. Your genome data is permanently retained and re-analyzed automatically as science advances.
What happens if a clinically significant variant is found?
If a pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variant is identified, it will be clearly flagged in your physician-ready report with clinical context, published evidence, and recommended next steps. We recommend sharing any clinically significant finding with your physician or a genetic counselor, who can guide decisions about surveillance, risk reduction, or cascade testing for family members.
How is this different from a consumer DNA test like 23andMe or AncestryDNA?
Consumer DNA tests use genotyping chips that read less than 0.1% of your genome — a tiny pre-selected set of common variants. They are optimized for ancestry and population-level traits, not clinical genetic findings. The Dante Genome Test sequences 100% of your genome at 30X coverage, the same standard used in clinical diagnostic settings. The two tests are not comparable in scope, methodology, or clinical utility.
How long does it take to get results, and how are they delivered?
Your collection kit ships within 48 hours of ordering. Once your sample arrives at our CLIA-certified laboratory, sequencing and analysis takes 6–8 weeks. Results are delivered securely to your Genome Manager, where you can access your reports, share them with your physician, and receive automatic updates as new findings are validated against your genome.
We work with patient advocacy groups worldwide.
Dante Labs works with patient advocacy groups of any size — for Heart Failure — Genetic Risk and other conditions, rare and common. We support groups in any country, including virtual patient advocacy groups.
We can provide customized reports, group discounts, and packages tailored for your members. Please reach out using the form and we'll be in touch within two business days.
- Custom genomic reports for your members
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One test.
A lifetime of answers.
One kit, sent to your home. Your entire genome sequenced at the clinical standard used for diagnostic decisions. 200+ physician-ready reports delivered to your Genome Manager in 6–8 weeks — permanent and updated as science advances.
Ships within 48 hours · Results in 6–8 weeks
