When Doug Bartow learned he had a genetic heart condition that can cause sudden death, he had mixed emotions: fear, blame and relief. Knowing the family has Long QT Syndrome ? a cause of sudden death in children and young adults, especially athletes ? also brought comfort. Some in the Bartow family are taking medications and avoiding strenuous activities to ward off dangerously irregular heartbeats, and all are being treated at UW Health?s Inherited Arrhythmias Clinic. The clinic, which started in 2004, treats more than 100 families with hereditary heart diseases. Doctors and genetic counselors help the families navigate the expanding world of genetic medicine, where knowledge of diseases can bring fear and hope, often at the same time.
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