Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
12 March 2018 09:09
Heart conditions often go unnoticed
Many people with deadly inherited heart conditions are only diagnosed after suffering cardiac arrest, research has shown.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) revealed that about one in five of these patients only find out the gene is in the family when a family member suffers an attack.
Sudden death syndrome
Around 620,000 people in the UK have a faulty gene which puts them at a particularly high risk of developing heart disease or dying suddenly at a young age, the charity said.
Each child of someone with an inherited heart condition has a 50% chance of inheriting the same faulty gene - but many people remain undiagnosed.
It's also estimated that around 12 young people (those under the age of 35) die of a heart condition each week in the UK.
Urgent need for better diagnosis
The figures have been released as part of BHF's In Your Genes campaign, which aims to raise awareness of inherited heart conditions and highlight the urgent need for better diagnosis.
People are being urged to investigate patterns of inherited heart diseases within their family.
Once someone has been diagnosed with an inherited heart condition, cascade testing - a type of genetic testing - should be carried out on all first-degree relatives.
BHF medical director Professor Sir Nilesh Samani said: "It is extremely important that family members are offered genetic testing when there's a history of sudden death or premature heart disease in a family.
"Once diagnosed, many of these conditions are manageable with medication or ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators) and can prevent needless deaths.
"All too often, people aren't familiar with their family history, or they aren't aware that a sudden death might be linked to an underlying heart condition.
"We need to improve awareness of these conditions and ensure that people have equal access to cascade genetic testing across the UK."
Anyone with a history of unexplained sudden deaths in their family should speak to their GP or call the BHF Genetic Information Service on 0300 456 8383.
We offer a wide range of medical insurance packages for travellers. Make sure you find the right one for you before you head abroad.
25 May 2018
Two popular sunscreens become significantly less effective once the wearer has been in sea water, a watchdog has warned.
[more...]
24 May 2018
A recent report by Cancer Research UK claims young people who are exposed to just one extra junk food TV advert per week consume up to 18,000 extra calories every year.
Eating one egg a day may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and strokes, according to a new study.
22 May 2018
Theresa May is to give a speech explaining how artificial intelligence will be used to help prevent 22,000 cancer deaths a year by 2033.
19 May 2018
A recent study in Taiwan has revealed that heart attacks occur more frequently in cold weather - with the figure increasing "dramatically" when the temperature drops below 15C (59F).
18 May 2018
A team of scientists have managed to successfully conduct a "memory transplant" between snails by transferring RNA, a form of genetic information, from one snail to another.
17 May 2018
A new study has found that certain types of exercise do not prevent the onset or worsening of dementia and may even contribute to further cognitive impairment.
16 May 2018
The average British child has visited four European cities and been on three long-haul holidays as well as skiing twice - all before their 10th birthday.
15 May 2018
Ethiopian Airlines has unveiled a new "landmark" route from Manchester Airport to the north African city of Ethiopia.
12 May 2018
Health experts have expressed concern at recent outbreaks of measles across England.
Cinema drinks contain "unacceptable" levels of bacteria
10 May 2018
The HPV vaccine offered to teenage girls has proved to be safe and effective in preventing the virus that causes cervical cancer, an independent review has revealed.