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Curated by Natalie Cutler, Office Administrator at One HealthTech (@natcutler23) on 21st June 2021.
Every week the global OHT Twitter account is curated by a wonderful member of the OHT community. They share with us how they do what they do, what they're interested in, their top tips and general learnings. We like to turn these Tweets into blogs as there is so much goodness in them!
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I am Natalie Cutler, I am part of the team at OHT. From a military background having served in the Wrens, most recently I have been active in the veteran’s community, supporting armed forces veterans during the pandemic. I first became involved with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) after the death of the youngest of my 3 sons, Stuart. He was 22 and leading a normal happy life going to work and living with his girlfriend and their 2 cats. Late one Friday evening he felt a "bit odd" and went to get a glass of water, he collapsed and later was pronounced dead, after his autopsy we were advised that he had died from Dilated cardiomyopathy.
I am an active campaigner for Cardiac Risk in the Young and I plan to spend today raising awareness of Young Sudden Cardiac Death (YSCD), I am NOT a cardiologist or a health professional, I am just a Mum who lost a son to this silent killer/2 #12aweek
The sudden collapse of Danish midfielder, Christian Eriksen is a terrible reminder of the impact cardiac conditions have on so many young people every day in the UK and across the world. But what actually happened? /3
Christian Eriksen suffered a Cardiac Arrest as confirmed by the Danish Team Doctor, this is NOT the same as having a heart attack in laymen’s terms one is electrical and the other is plumbing /4
What is a Young Sudden Cardiac Death (YSCD) or Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) they are umbrella terms used for the many different heart conditions that affect fit and healthy young people which, if not treated, can result in spontaneous death /5
In the UK 1 in 300 young people (under the age of 35) are walking around with an undiagnosed heart condition, it’s a ticking time bomb in their chest, 80% of young people have no symptoms and no warning! /6
Every week in the UK, at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people will collapse and die suddenly from previously undiagnosed heart conditions. Just think about that for a minute while you watch this short video. /7
The emotional impact of the sudden, seemingly inexplicable death of a young person on their family cannot be underestimated. It is out with the natural Circle of Life (I know, you are all singing the song in your head now...my bad! ) /8
LUNCHTIME After lunch I will be looking at #prevention, #diagnosis, #treatment and what YOU can do to make a difference #CPRSavesLives #defibrillator #SuddenCardiacArrest/9
Prevention 1 – This is where you expect me to say take more exercise & eat a healthy diet, but sadly that will not help as we already know that it is some of the fittest and healthiest in our society that are most affected. /10
Prevention 2 - The only way to prevent a sudden cardiac death is to be tested, heart screening can reduce the number of YSCD’s by 89%. If there has been a young sudden death in the family then the family is entitled to be screened by the NHS /11
Prevention 3 – With no national screening programme in place in the UK the only other way to be screened is through Cardiac Risk in the Young, who provide free screening events across the UK funded by bereaved families /12
www.testmyheart.org.uk
Diagnosis - There is a simple way to diagnose most abnormalities. This is by having an ECG (electrocardiogram) test. The results of which should be read by a cardiologist. For extra clarity and Echocardiogram (ultrasound scan) can also be done. /13
Treatment 1 - Once tested it goes from being an undiagnosed heart condition to a diagnosed heart condition which can make the difference between life and death. /14
Treatment 2 – Clearly treatments will take various forms dependent on the actual condition and the individual but could involve surgery and/or medication /15
In the UK each year, 30,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of hospitals - all requiring emergency resuscitation, with just 1 in 10 people surviving. What can you do if you are unfortunate enough to witness someone collapse with a cardiac arrest? /16
LEARN CPR – without a doubt CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) saves lives performing CPR can more than double a person's chances of survival in some cases. If you don’t know what to do watch this video from the @TheBHF /17
Know where your nearest defibrillator is! Most public buildings have one as well as shops and other locations. Whether you are at work or play, become a "Defib Spotter" it’s a bit like being a Train Spotter but without the anorak! /18 #defibrillator #CPRSavesLives
Anyone can use a defibrillator, and experts stress that there is no way of using them wrongly. It will only deliver a shock if it's needed, after automatically assessing someone's heart rhythm. /19
That’s all from me today folks I hope you have found my tweets interesting and educational.
Please share what you have learnt with your family and friends, it could save a life!
