Current statistics show that more than 22 young people die every year from Sudden Death Syndrome, an umbrella term used for the different causes of heart attacks in the young.

But CRY’s founder Alison Cox believes there could be many more teenagers and young adults dying from this silent killer.

“The official figure is just the start,” she says.  “A lot of deaths are incorrectly attributed to accidents and there is also a lack of awareness in the medical profession about the disease.”

There are 11 major causes of unexpected sudden cardiac death in the young.  These conditions include thickening of the heart muscle and irregularities of the electrical impulses, which upsets the rhythm of the heart.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common of these disorders.  About 10,000 people in Britain are known to have HCM, but many more are believed to suffer from this potentially life-threatening condition without realising it.

Ironically, it is sporty youngsters who are most likely to be at risk.  That’s because they put more stress on their heart with vigorous exercise, which acts as a trigger.  However, this only applies if they already have an unnoticed heart abnormality.

“HCM is far more common than cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy, says Alison.  “These deaths are happening.  Parents need to be aware of the symptoms and how they can be tackled.” 

Signs to watch for include breathlessness and palpitations, but some sufferers show no symptoms at all.

CRY is the first national charity to introduce a mobile cardiac screening programme into the community for young people.  It has also funded 38 ECG machines in GP surgeries and hospitals.

“We are pressing for electrocardiogram tests for all teenagers,” says Alison.  “These take only a few minutes to carry out and use equipment already available on the NHS.”