[Genetic background of heart failure: SNP association study for heart failure and the underlying diseases].

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) have identified numerous genetic risk factors for common diseases. In heart diseases, genetic risk loci for coronary artery diseases (CAD) and atrial fibrillation are particularly identified by means of GWAS in several ethnic populations. However, genetic risk loci associated directly with heart failure (HF) have been poorly characterized so far, because the pathology of HF is based on several heart diseases such as hypertensive, coronary heart diseases, valvular disease of the heart, and arrhythmia. In this review, I will discuss recent advances in molecular genetics for HF and its basic diseases such as CAD, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation.