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Sudden
death syndrome is the biggest killer of under-35s — and most victims didn’t
even know they were at risk.
 About
10,000 young people in Britain are thought to be at risk of dying from an
alarmingly prevalent heart disorder that often remains
undetected until it is
too late. Sudden death syndrome (SDS) claims
at least eight lives each week,
according to new research published in the Lancet medical journal, making it by
far the most common cause of unexpected death in people under 35.
Many
of the victims appear perfectly healthy, and often actively enjoy sport or going
to the gym. With few symptoms, the first sign that someone is suffering from the
condition, dubbed adult cot death, is a fatal heart attack.
Alison
Cox, the founder of the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (Cry), says experts
are only just beginning to find out what causes SDS. Victims are known to have
reported symptoms such as breathlessness and chest pains, but usually those
affected feel nothing.
“There
are different types of heart abnormality that can lead to the syndrome, the most
common being hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,” Cox says. “It makes the heart
thicken, leads to an irregular heartbeat and prevents the heart from pumping
effectively.” When someone has such an abnormality, sport and heavy workouts
can trigger the illness, as they place strain on the heart.
In
new research, funded by the British Heart Foundation, cardiologists at St
George’s and the Royal Brompton Hospitals in London have confirmed that SDS
can also be inherited. “There is a definite genetic link,” says Dr Elijah
Behr of St George’s. “The families of someone who suffered sudden death with
no particular cause should be screened.”
Simple
tests are available, so Cry is calling for more widespread screening of people
under 30. An electrocardiogram can check the heart’s electrical signals —
malfunction of which can result in SDS — and ultrasound shows up abnormality
in the heart’s thickness and the size of the chambers.
Anyone
with a family history of SDS is entitled to both tests free on the NHS, but Cry
also provides mobile screening units that visit schools, offices and sports
clubs around the country, offering two- day tests at a cost of £200 per person.
Earlier
this year, the country’s first Cry Centre of Sport Cardiology opened at the
British Olympic Medical Centre in London, where sports people of any standard
can also be tested. “A pilot study shows that screening is highly
effective,” says Dr Sanjay Sharma of University Hospital Lewisham, who has
carried out research at the centre. “The problem is that even if young people
did have symptoms, they would probably pass them off as something else. There is
no way they would think that they were at risk of heart disease.”
One
of the most high-profile cases of SDS was Daniel Yorath, the son of the former
manager of the Welsh football team Terry Yorath, who died in 1992 aged 15.
Recently signed to Leeds United, he was kicking a ball in his back garden when
he collapsed. Other victims include David Longhurst, 25, a York City player who
died during a televised match, and Adrian Hawkins, 22, who was shortlisted for
the British Olympic cycling team before dying after a race.
Although
sport is not a direct cause of SDS, Cox says that the rising catalogue of
sports-related deaths has prompted many governing bodies, including tennis,
cycling and rowing associations, to insist that youngsters be screened for SDS.
Although there is no cure
for the syndrome, there are several types of treatment available for people who
are diagnosed with the condition. “First, we would prescribe lifestyle
changes, which would involve avoiding heavy exercise and sport, but also
avoiding extremely noisy places, which can exacerbate the problem in some
people,” says Sharma. “Beta-blocker-type drugs, which take the strain off
the heart, might also be prescribed. If those measures fail, people might be
fitted with a pacemaker to regulate their heartbeat.”
Many
people require counselling to help them deal with the sense of impending doom
that they feel when told that they have a heart problem, and, for aspiring
sports people, to help them cope with abandoning their dreams.
“It
can seem life-shattering when they are told the news,” Cox says. “But
prevention is far better than the possible alternative.”
Times
Online -Health- Too young to die
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