[Cardiogenetics: the importance of identifying patients with hereditary heart disease].

During the past decade, developments in the field of DNA diagnostics have resulted in the confirmation of the genetic nature of several cardiac diseases. In a cardiogenetics outpatient clinic, a cardiologist and a clinical geneticist together evaluate persons with a (possible) hereditary cardiac disease. It is of utmost importance that patients with hereditary cardiac diseases be recognised and subsequently referred for genetic counselling as several preventive and therapeutic options are available.