Every week around a dozen apparently fit and sporty youngsters die from undetected heart conditions.  Adrian Monti talks to one teenager about his lucky escape. 

Throughout his childhood James Bailey was obsessed with football, playing every day until he discovered quite by chance that the sport he loved could have killed him.    

It was only when he took the opportunity to skip a Spanish lesson and, along with his pals, have a simple screening test held at his school that James discovered he had a potentially life-threatening heart condition. 

"I didn't expect anything to be wrong," said James, now 18. 

"I'd only gone along as my friends were doing it and some older relatives in my family had suffered heart-related problems in the past." 

The 20-minute test was organised by Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) as part of its campaign to screen young people for undetected heart defects.  The charity raises awareness of sudden cardiac death in seemingly healthy young people.  A mobile screening unit toured the UK last year testing 2,500 under 35s .  James was one of around 14 found to have serious cardiac conditions. 

He was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPS) syndrome, a congenital abnormality of the heart's electrical system.  Sufferers have an extra electrical pathway connection which causes a rapid heartbeat, a potentially dangerous condition. 

It is one of a group of heart conditions that can cause sudden cardiac death including cardiomyopathies and myocarditis. 

Ironically sporty youngsters such as James who have an underlying cardiac abnormality are more likely to be at risk because exercise can aggravate the condition.  It might not have felt it at the time but James was one of the lucky ones.  When the electrocardiogram (ECG) test - which measures the electrical activity of the heart - revealed he had WPW syndrome doctors were able to start treating it. 

Many people are never aware they have WPW and it does not present any symptoms. 

Others suffer palpitations, blackouts and light-headedness.  Approximately three people in every 2,000 have it and while it proves fatal for only a tiny percentage it is impossible to predict how likely that is to happen in each case. 

James underwent further tests at hospital which included an echocardiogram, which shows how well the heart is pumping.  The tests confirmed the first diagnosis. 

"Looking back I had sometimes suffered palpitations after doing sport, but just thought it was normal. 

"After the diagnosis I made the mistake of reading about WPW on the internet which really frightened me, says James who lives near Bristol with parents Nick and Charlotte and younger sister Rebecca, 15. 

James was on medication for two months to stabilise the irregular heart rhythm. 

in June last year he underwent a procedure called ablation.  This involves having long wires inserted into the groin along veins leading towards the heart.  Electrical activity of the heart can then be 'mapped' and when the location of the abnormality is found radio frequency energy is sent via the catheter to destroy the abnormal heart tissue by burning it away. 

On the first attempt his cardiac surgeon was unable to correct the problem. 

"At first they said nothing more could be done - this operation has a 97 per cent success rate," says James.  "I was so disappointed, I thought I'd never be able to play football again." 

His cardiac surgeon decided to try again in October and this time it did work. 

"I was delighted," he says.  I was even more nervous the second time and only had a local anaesthetic.  I went home from hospital the same day.  As a precaution I didn't play football for three weeks but I felt fine virtually straightaway.  It's not been a problem since. 

"After what happened to me I have realised how many people aren't as fortunate in having heart defects detected - the first time they discover they have a problem it's too late." 

CRY wants all young people to have routine heart scans to spot any potential abnormalities. 

It argues this would help reduce the numbers dying from an undiscovered heart defect.  CRY is launching a new initiative to give free cardiac screening at St George's Hospital in Tooting, London, to teenagers who were born in 1995 - 14 is the youngest age when the heart is mature enough to be tested.  It will be the first of 50 sessions to be rolled out over the next two years. 

CRY's consultant cardiologist Professor Sanjay Sharma, based at St George's Hospital, says: "We are trying to identify conditions which cause cardiac death in young people.  Although deaths are rare they do occur and there are around 500 to 600 in the UK every year.  

"James is a perfect example of how screening can pick up something which has the potential to kill a young, sporty person." 

Young people in the South-East born in 1995 who want a free screening (or their parents on their behalf) can visit

 www.c-r-y.org.uk/1995.htm  

For more information on screening and the charity's work call 01737 363 222 or visit www.c-r-y.org.uk