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Health campaigners today
called for young people with a family history of sudden and unexplained
death to be given automatic heart screening on the NHS to detect the
problem.
A Private Member’s
Bill, being presented by Dari Taylor MP, calls for automatic screening for
people at a high risk of sudden cardiac death syndrome.
This condition claims the lives of up to eight apparently healthy young
people every week in the UK, according to charity Cardiac Risk in the
Young (CRY) which is backing the Bill.
The Bill is supported by MPs and sporting stars including Ian Botham and
rugby player Rob Jones.
CRY said that immediate screening of family after a sudden death was vital
for identifying genetic faults in the heart and prevent further deaths.
But because many people were dismissed as “too young” to have heart
problems and undergo testing, important warning signs were often missed.
Cry is launching six clinics across the UK to offer screening for
concerned younger people, with costs of tests ranging from £35 to £200.
Alison Cox, chief executive of CRY, said: “Sudden death in young people
can no longer be ignored by health professionals or the Government…
“It could affect anyone, that’s why we need to improve access to
screening so that people with cause for concern can take steps to prevent
it from striking or their family.”
Ms Taylor added: “This Bill has forced the Department of Health to
seriously consider the problem of cardiac death in the young.”
View
www.c-r-y.org.uk for more
information.
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