Dangers that are all around

The most common cause of sudden death in young adults is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but it’s not only our hearts we have to worry about. 

Sudden death can come in many different forms. 

Around 600,000 people in the UK are blissfully unaware they are at risk of an aneurysm, which occurs when a weak blood vessel in the brain ruptures.  Around 80 per cent of brain haemorrhages are caused by aneurysms and 50 per cent of sufferers die. 

Danger, it seems, is all around.  For even a seemingly innocuous blow to the chest can be deadly.  There may be no superficial damage, but a severe thump can alter the rhythm of the heart, bruise it and cause serious internal injury which may lead to death.

As if that’s not worrying enough, around 30 Britons, of all ages, die or are left severely disabled every day because of a stroke. 

The causes are often linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high cholesterol, heart disease and abnormalities of the clotting system. 

Further risk comes from deep vein thrombosis, when blood clots in the leg’s deep veins and eventually travels into the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.  Fatal for some 2000 Britons a year. 

Alison Cox, chief executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) says we should all be aware of the dangers, but take a common-sense approach. 

She says: “These are unusual conditions.  However, the main thing is to look at family history, have there been any unaccountable deaths in the past? 

There may be deaths where the family just feel it didn’t add up.” 

CRY holds regular clinics in Edinburgh where individuals can have heart checks for around £200.  For further details, contact CRY on 01737 363222.