Is AF genetic?

[Moonriver]

Can AF be inherited from your parents?

[BobD Volunteer]

There is as yet no scientific confirmation of that theory but anecdotal evidence would suggest that there can be a genetic link. AF needs a predisposition which can be genetic or acquired. If your heart is wired in a particular way you may be more likely to get AF in later life (It is more likely in older people). There are other groups of people who can get AF amongst which are gym fanatics and endurance athletes where the work done by the heart can cause the left atria to expand and stretch the electrical pathways. Strangely you might think fast jet pilots can also get AF again we think due to the work their hearts have to do.

Bob

[jennydog]

I think that it probably is inherited. I have 2 cousins, a brother and an aunt who all have arrhythmia problems. They are all specifically on my father's line. We are of Viking descent and I seem to remember that that's a pointer.

[Moonriver in reply to jennydog]

My father has AF and died aged 93 in June. I rang his doctor to find what heart issues he had and one of them was AF and his GP said AF wasn't inherited!? Interesting about the Vikings Jenny what other info on that do you have?

[Buffafly in reply to Moonriver]

I am tooas my fathers family are of Viking descent and many in his line have AF.

[jennydog in reply to Moonriver]

I cannot remember about the Viking connection - my brain has turned to mush since my ablation anaesthetic. I read it on this site so Bob or Ian might remember.

Not long ago a 2nd cousin rang and asked how I was. I said I'd got AF and asked if he'd ever heard of it. "oh yes, I've got it too and I'm to have a pacemaker fitted." Our joint ancestors come from Southport ( North Meols) which is real Norwegian Viking territory and we can show some surnames to prove ot too!

[Moonriver in reply to jennydog]

Is Gorrod a Viking name? That was the family name of my Grandmother who came from Aberdeen. I expect the Vikings invaded east coast of Scotland too!

[Hidden in reply to jennydog]

G'day jennydog,

Didn't think of the Viking connection. Have thought about genetics though, not in the context of my parents, but, rather, which side of the family, maternal or paternal side.

I have AF, my daughter (age 32) has AF, a second cousin (paternal side) has AF and has had a successful ablation. My paternal grandfather died in 1964 from a series of strokes. Don't think AF had been identified in those days but even so it has to be suspect as cause of strokes. Interestingly my cousins grandfather and mine were brothers. Don't know my cousins grandfathers medical history or cause of death.

Another interesting point though is that the paternal side of the family are from East Anglia. Even my fathers mother (my paternal grandmother) was born in East Anglia (near Norwich) but came from a predominantly Northumbrian family. Of course Northumbria and East Anglia were landing sites of Danish Vikings.

My maternal side are all Londoners except for great grandmother whose family came from Cashel, Eire

Interesting ..... we'll never know will we.

John

[jennydog in reply to Hidden]

Hi John. That history mirrors mine. I cannot remember the details of the Viking link. I have tried to Google it but can't find anything. Most of my ancestors died young, especially of TB, so heart irregularities would not be evident.

My ablation showed unusual plumbing to the heart so I've warned some relatives not to have cryo- ablation as the cryo balloon might be too small.

Very best wishes.

[jennydog]

It may well be. The Vikings on our west coast were predominately Norwegian, those on the east coast mainly Danish. I have a book about west coast Vikings. I can pick out Garratt and Garrett. The Isle of Man was settled by them and Gerrard is common there.

[Hidden]

Me and my dad have/had it. Also being a farmer, I breed thousands of animals and generally speaking we regard almost everything as genetic to one extent or another. Sounds silly making that comparison, but they're not that much different from us, or at least some of us aren't

K

[Hidden]

I know one of my cousins has AF, my dad wasn't close to that side of the family so I'm doing my own research. I know there are plenty of other reasons for it but I wouldn't be at all surprised if it could be genetic. I hadn't heard of the Viking connection, my parents were from Glasgow, do you think the Vikings maybe came in for the day on a tourist trip and left a present?

[Jason1971]

I'm the only person in my family (Cousins, Aunt's, Uncles) who has AF. I'm also the only Grandchild over 6 foot and bald, so maybe I should visit the guy who delivered our milk in the 70's

[Loo53]

I got asked at my pre-op yesterday was there any history of AF in the family and I only know my sister has it!

[souljacs4]

My mother and Grandmother had it.

[MammaCass]

My Mum and Grandmother also had AF

[SuzieA]

I have it and my son has been recently diagnosed

[Barb1]

Yes. So, my 2 sons have been checked for it. One has an enlarged heart which they say is exercise related as he is fit and young but I am not convinced. My mother and grandmother had it.

[Hidden]

No Viking connections, but my mother and grandmother had it (AF).

[Kjporten]

My Norwegian father died from it at 66, both my children have it, as do I. One of my grandchildren, age 13, recently was diagnosed with an electrical problem with his heart after passing out during some high stress, they will watch it. I think it is inherited but I have had no medical person agree with me. I have never heard the Viking connection. That is interesting. All the cousins on my dad's side are adopted so I won't get much info there.

[Offcut]

Alongside age and gender, there are other risk factors that affect cardiovascular disease. Numerous studies have pointed to the effect of race. There are socioeconomic impacts. By socioeconomic, we mean an individual's wealth, their income, their educational levels, and their occupation. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases with social deprivation.

And independent of this, educational attainment also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Your family history also affects your risk of cardiovascular disease. What we mean by family history is what your grandparents, your parents, and your siblings may die of. What they die of is also likely to kill you. There's a lot of evidence to this familial link.

Numerous studies have pointed to the fact that people who suffer from a premature cardiovascular event - so that's a cardiovascular event below the age of 55 for men and below the age of 65 for women. So people who have a premature cardiovascular event, their offspring are likely to have higher risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Extract from Heart Health: A beginner’s guide to cardiovascular disease Reading University

[Auntielala]

My mother has AF. I have only caught tachycardia and ectopics on ecg and holter, but when GP was referring me to hospital for the tests, he asked "Does anyone in your family have atrial fibrillation?". I said "Yes, my mother. Why, is it hereditary?". "No", he replied. (So why did he ask?)

My son collapsed when he was 13 and the hospital kept him in for a few days whilst they did ecg's etc, and said it was probably an electrical problem with his heart, luckily he's been fine ever since (now 30). But I wonder if there is something in the family genes.

[jeanjeannie50]

My mother had AF, also my sister and female cousin. My daughter denies having it, but if she's under the slightest pressure or in a stressful situation her heart races, BP drops and she passes out. She once came to sit with me in A&E when my heart was racing and collapsed. We lay side by side on hospital trollies in a cubicle. Wish we'd had a photo taken!

Jean

[fallingtopieces]

I can't say for sure but I feel certain my mum had AF.

She died of a 'heart attack' 35 years ago, at exactly my age now(scary), one month before her 55th birthday.

My mum had 'funny turns' and 'dizzy spells' for years beforehand but would not go to see a doctor, so we don't know what she had. Her maiden name was Thompson. I've just looked that up and found it's 100% Viking!

Pat.

[Crab]

I have AF my Father has AF and my Grandfather had AF ???????

[Jason1971]

At the Patients day in Birmingham it was suggested that AF will be more and more common as we are becoming an aging population. It's been mentioned on this forum as sufferers we have a predisposition to AF. There could be some kind of genetics involved with AF, but I think the stats were 1 in 4 people who reach their 80's are likely to have AF.

[Moonriver]

Jason, I missed the seminar. Did they say anything else about new ways of getting rid of it or new drugs. Moonriver

[GivEmkeL]

On my mother's side, I have a 1st cousin who has it, and my grandmother died of a Stroke at age 63. She used to always say her heart was "running around again." She would always have to sit down, and would put her arm over her heart. Don't know for sure if she had AF, but that's kind of how I would describe an AF episode.

KeL

[dland]

Hi there

I think it can be genetic. My dad had a real issue with his heart, strokes and heart attacks, he ended up in a wheelchair. Unfortunately, I have AF, my brother on talking to him has it also from a very young age and he is 50 something now and in addition my older son has tachycardia, so I think this would suggest it is hereditary?

dland