Teen heart screening

A heart screening clinic is being organised for teenagers and young adults at Colchester General Hospital.

It will take place on March 31, between 9am and 2pm.

the4 session is aimed at people aged 14 to 35 and aims to pick up people at risk of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD) which kills about 400 people every year.

Regular clinics have been hold since May 2004 organised by national charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) with the permission of Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, which manages Colchester General Hospital.

For the subsidised cost of £35, each person has an electrocardiogram (EGG), which records the heart's activity through electrical leads taped to the chest, arms and legs.

A questionnaire also has to be completed and it is sent with the ECG to cardiologists for analysis.

In cases of serious abnormalities, it might be possible to take measures, such as surgery or the fitting of a specialised pacemaker, to reduce the likelihood of YSCD.

Earlier this month, the charity revealed its plans to invest £300,000 to fund coroner referrals to an expert cardiac pathologist when a young person dies suddenly and the cause is unknown.

This will ensure affected families receive a cause of death and also enable identification of other family members at risk of having a similar genetic condition.

For more information or to book an appointment, call 01737 363222. Do not contact the hospital directly or just turn up on the day.

Alternatively, bookings can be made online by visiting c-r-y.org.uk and clicking on "screening".