Heart attack survivors and experts offer advice

CHARITY WEEK RAISES AWARENESS OF CONDITION

EVENTS are taking place this week to raise awareness of a group of heart conditions that can kill apparently healthy people.

Sads Awareness Week is being organised by charity Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT), set up after the death of Rothley teenager Joe Humphries in October 2012.

Joe died from Sads – sudden arrhythmic death syndrome – while jogging.

Every week in the UK, 12 people aged between 12 and 35 die due to undiagnosed genetic heart conditions like Sads.

This year, important issues in relation to sudden cardiac death and Sads prevention in the young will be displayed across digital platforms.

These will include recognition of cardiac arrest and the basics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as well as how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) and how sports clubs and schools can be heart-safe.

Dr Harshil Dhutia, consultant cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital and JHMT medical lead, will give an insight into the new specialist inherited cardiac conditions clinic in Leicester, where patients with conditions that can cause sudden cardiac death and Sads are seen and where family members can be evaluated.

Teenager Saskia Holland will be sharing her story of survival from sudden cardiac arrest and the impact it has had on her life, as well as the implications for her family.

Dr Dhutia said: “Prevention of sudden cardiac death in the young is a major focus of the medical community.

Unfortunately, sudden cardiac arrest is the first presentation of disease in 80 per cent of cases.

“The frequency of these tragedies can be significantly reduced by raising awareness and access to CPR and AEDs in the community, and by evaluation of affected individuals and their family in an expert cardiogenetic service.

“As the medical lead for JHMT, I am delighted to invite you all to participate in our Sads awareness week.

“During the week we will be presenting pertinent information relating to sudden cardiac death prevention, from how to perform CPR and use an AED to how we as specialists evaluate patients with cardiac disease and their family members in inherited cardiac conditions clinic.

“We are all in this together. We can all be life savers.”

As well as providing free CPR and defibrillator training, JHMT raises awareness of sudden heart deaths, helps to provide community defibrillators and runs Inspire, a grants scheme for inspirational young people.

Follow Sads Awareness Week events and activities on Facebook and Twitter: facebook.com/jhmtorguk or @jhmt.org.uk and online at: