Checks reveal young women with deadly 'silent' heart risk
Summary
A UK charity has found that simple heart checks can identify young women at risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), even if they seem healthy. From nearly 40,000 women screened, 175 had undiagnosed heart problems, with 94 at high risk of their heart stopping suddenly.Key Facts
- The charity CRY runs voluntary heart screening for people aged 14 to 35 in the UK.
- Out of almost 40,000 young women screened, 175 had previously unknown heart issues.
- 94 women were found to be at high risk of sudden cardiac death.
- Sudden cardiac death can happen without warning and affects around 12 young people under 35 weekly in the UK.
- Simple tests like ECGs (heart rhythm recordings) can sometimes miss cases; in this study, 92 issues were overlooked.
- Some heart problems leading to SCD are inherited and family members can get free NHS checks.
- Kaitlin Lawrence, 24, collapsed during a netball game due to a heart rhythm problem and now has a defibrillator implanted.
- The UK National Screening Committee is considering wider heart checks for people aged over 14.
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