Scientists have recently found a variant of a gene that augments the risk of heart failure. This gene is commonly found amongst the people of South Asia, where this disease is the primary cause of death. The study was carried out in the presence of 25 scientists from four different countries and was published in the January 18th issue of Nature Genetics.

According to the statistics, heart diseases kill the highest number of people around the world. However in India, it is predominantly apparent and the experts predict that around 60% of world’s heart disease shall be in India. There could be number of causes leading to this from genetic to lifestyle habits. The result of this study further elaborates that around the world one person out of hundred carries the mutation of the infected gene whereas in India, four out of hundred carry the mutation of the gene.

The human genome is made up of 20000 to 25000 genes with approximately three billion base pairs. The mutation occurs from the deletion of the 25 base pairs in a specific sequence that codes for the essential heart protein called MYBPC3. This particular deletion occurs more commonly amongst the people of the Indian origin.

People with this mutation do not show any symptoms until they happen to reach the middle age, however a majority show a combination of symptoms and a few die out of the heart attack.