A Swansea cardiologist has warned that hidden heart defects which can kill young people out of the blue are probably much more prevalent than even doctors realise.

Mark Anderson is helping to brief the UK government on a new chapter in its national service framework on coronary heart disease.

He is working with the pressure group Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) to promote screening for people at risk.

Around eight apparently fit and healthy people under the age of 35 suddenly drop dead from undiagnosed heart rhythm defects every week in the UK.

But CRY believes that is an underestimate.

Dr. Anderson has around 70 patients with rhythm disorders.

“But these are people who have been diagnosed, there are likely to be many others who have not been.”

Dr. Anderson said the medical profession as a whole tended to overlook the symptoms of heart problems in younger people.

“Quite a few of the young people who die suddenly have displayed symptoms like dizzy spells in the past, but these have been ignored,” he pointed out.

Dr. Anderson helped to launch CRY’s Welsh postcard campaign aimed at lobbying MPs to ensure the strongest possible chapter is inserted in the national service framework, due to be published in March.

He also called on the Assembly to ensure the move is copied in Wales.

“Without the support of AMs this may not go ahead in Wales, “ he warned.

The postcard features photographs of eight Welsh youngsters who collapsed and died without warning.

Relatives of the youngsters were at the launch in Morriston Hospital.

The card includes 24-year-old Christiaan Smith whose parents live in Heol-y-Ffin, Clydach.

He was found dead at the foot of his stairs in 1999 after apparently being completely fit and healthy.

Mum Paulette is the South Wales representative [for CRY] and urged people to sign the postcards and send them off to MPs.

She said: “We only want the right for our children to have an ECG.  We are not asking for massive amounts of money or research programmes.”

CRY wants the UK to follow the example of Italy, where young people involved in sports are automatically screened.

Welsh rugby star Robert Jones, whose 33-year-old cousin from Pontardawe died from a sudden heart defect, said: “Tragedies like the one in Asia we could do little about.  But we could prevent some of these hidden cardiac defect tragedies through screening.”

Anyone wanting a postcard can contact Mrs. Smith on 01792 846060