About Phenotypes

While we all share many of the same genes, how they express themselves and interact with our environment can produce various characteristics we observe in the body. 

With regards to cardiometabolic diseases, it is sometimes helpful to identify certain clusters of observed physiologic characteristics which may either be causal or associated with certain cardiometabolic diseases, traits and risk. 

The “Phenotypes” described here are some of the more common disease entities encountered in the cardiometabolic clinic. 

Individuals who demonstrate the characteristics of these phenotypes may share similar cardiometabolic risk as well as response to risk mitigating therapies and best practices.

Many clinical trials are designed with certain “inclusion criteria” (and exclusion criteria) aimed at identifying therapies that target populations that essentially represent a certain phenotype, or disease entity.

Naturally, the therapies derived from these clinical trials become “approved” or “indicated” to treat a particular disease in a particular clinical scenario, or essentially, a particular phenotype.

Thinking of these commonly linked disease traits in an individual as particular “phenotypes” can be a helpful aid to the clinician, as well as the healthcare consumer, when trying to identify cardiometabolic risk and navigate best practices.