Checks reveal young women with deadly ‘silent’ heart risk

Researchers in the UK say simple checks have identified young women with silent heart problems that put them at risk of their hearts suddenly stopping, known as sudden cardiac death (SCD).

The findings came from a review of a voluntary screening service funded by a charity working with bereaved families that has been operating in the UK since the early 1990s.

Of nearly 40,000 women aged 14 to 35 who had their heart checked, 175 were found to have undiagnosed problems despite appearing fit and healthy, and 94 were found to be at high risk of sudden cardiac death.

Experts say it’s not just athlete men who are at risk, young women can also be affected and early diagnosis can save lives.

The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing whether everyone over the age of 14 should be checked for SCD-related conditions.

A. Public consultation is planned although no date has been confirmed yet.

The challenge is to find real cases of risky heart problems balanced against the anxiety caused by unnecessary checks on many young people.

Checks such as a simple heart trace or ECG can also miss cases; In this latest study of girls and women, 92 heart problems were missed, 28 of which were quite serious.

Some causes of SCD can run in families, and the NHS offers free family checks when this is suspected.

‘My lips turned blue’

Kaitlin Lawrence, 24, from Surrey, was diagnosed with a heart rhythm problem after fainting on the netball court two years ago.

He was about to play a league match when he felt ill.

“A few seconds later I passed out on the edge,” he says.

“My teammates said they couldn’t resuscitate me and even though I was breathing, my lips were bruised.

“The next thing I realized, I was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

“I’m lucky I didn’t die.”

He now has a device called a defibrillator implanted in his chest, which has saved his life twice before.

“It can give an electric shock to get my heart working properly again,” he explains.

“It feels like a thump when it happens. I had it recently, in February. It’s a little scary, but it works. I also take beta blocker tablets to help my heart stay in the right rhythm.”

Kaitlin says her condition can be detected using a quick and simple ECG (electrocardiogram), which records the heart’s rhythm.

His family is currently undergoing screening and many of his friends have chosen to do so as well.

In the UK, SCD kills 12 young people under the age of 35 every week. The risk is approximately three times higher in boys and young men than in girls and young women.

People may show no symptoms and appear perfectly fit with no obvious warning signs.

Simple actions such as taking a cold shower or exercising can deliver enough shock to instantly kill the heart of someone with an undiagnosed problem, the charity says TO CRY – Cardiac Risk in Young People – offers voluntary screening.

It is stated that the actual number of people affected may be higher than thought, as some sudden cardiac deaths are mistakenly recorded as asthma, epilepsy or even drowning.

Postmortem examinations may reveal a structural problem or electrical malfunction in the heart, which is often hereditary. However, in one in 20 cases, no known cause can be found.

The latest findings, covering a decade of voluntary screening service run by CRY, are being discussed at CRY’s annual meeting. British Cardiovascular Association in Manchester.