Genetic Counseling for Aortic Disease

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At the UF Health Aortic Disease Center, care goes beyond treating just the symptoms. Our multidisciplinary team includes genetic counselors, enabling us to look more deeply at your genes, your family history, and your future risk.

Genetic counseling is an important part of care for patients with aortic and other heart disease conditions. It helps patients understand if their condition may be inherited and what that means for them and their family.

Why does genetic counseling matter for patients with aortic disease?

Many aortic conditions do not happen randomly. They can be passed down through families, sometimes without clear signs for years or even decades. A genetic counselor helps uncover these hidden risks.

At UF Health, our genetic counselors:

Review your personal and family medical history
Assess your risk for any inherited heart and vascular conditions
Help determine if genetic testing is the right course of action
Explain the test results in clear, simple terms
Guide next steps for care and family screening

This process helps patients make informed decisions and reduces uncertainty during an already very stressful time.

What is the link between connective tissue disorders and aortic disease?

Some of the most serious aortic conditions are tied to inherited connective tissue disorders. These conditions affect the body’s structure and strength, including the aorta.

One well-known example is Marfan syndrome, which can weaken the aortic wall and increase the risk of aneurysm or dissection.

Other inherited connective tissue conditions, like Marfan Syndrome, can also impact the aorta, even if symptoms are mild or not yet present. That’s why a genetic consultation is so important—especially for patients with:

A family history of aortic aneurysm or dissection
Early-onset cardiovascular disease
Known or suspected connective tissue disorders

By identifying these risks early, our care team can monitor patients closely and intervene before any serious complications occur.

Advanced expertise for complex needs

Cardiovascular genetics is a growing field, and not all centers offer this specific type of genetic counseling. The UF Health Aortic Disease Center is one of the few programs in Florida providing this specialized service for aortic patients.

Our genetic counselors work closely with our cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons, cardiologists and researchers as part of a multidisciplinary team.

This team-based approach ensures that genetic insights are fully integrated into your care plan—from diagnosis through long-term management.

Our team can also connect you to clinical trials for many different aortic conditions.

The UF Health Aortic Disease Center offers personalized care for you and your family

Genetic information doesn’t just affect one person. It can impact entire families across multiple generations.

That’s why a genetic counselor at UF Health can also focus on:

Identifying at-risk family members
Recommending screening for relatives
Helping families understand what to do next when facing an inherited cardiovascular disease

This approach supports early detection, prevention and peace of mind.

Take the next step

If you or a loved one has an aortic condition, or connective tissue disorder—or a family history of one of these conditions—genetic counseling can provide answers and direction.

We see patients or family members of patients who have:

Marfan syndrome
Loeys-Dietz syndrome
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS)
Other connective tissue disorders
Aortic and arterial aneurysm of unknown cause
Aortic and arterial dissection of unknown cause
Familial aortic aneurysm and/or aortic dissection
Bicuspid aortic valve with aortopathy
Aortic intramural hematoma

To schedule an appointment for genetic counseling and testing at the UF Health Aortic Disease Center, please call (352) 273-9936. Your provider can fax a referral to (352) 273-9737. You can also email us at SRG-AORTAGENETICS@ad.ufl.edu.

Early insight can make a life-saving difference.

This entry was written by Gabrielle Massari, Marketing Content Writer, and reviewed for accuracy by Ashley Smith, MS, LCGC. Generative AI was leveraged as part of the content creation process.