A Cradley woman whose
brother collapsed and died of an undetected heart condition faces an
anxious wait to see whether she needs surgery to prevent her suffering the
same fate.
When
23-year-old Nicola Davies had a blackout walking her
dog three weeks ago she knew it was a warning sign that her heart
condition could also become fatal. Five
years ago she was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular
Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)-a rare condition where fatty tissue replaces heart
muscle and stops the heart beating properly.
It was
only because her 16-year-old brother Paul had died from the disease a few
months previously that her mother demanded she was screened for the
disease.
Medication
did not work and she is now waiting to hear whether she needs surgery to
have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted.
The
device is implanted in the chest to monitor and correct rapid heartbeats. It sends small electrical charges to the heart to
