It is a #SADS fact of life - 12 fit and healthy young people, 12 – 35 years old, die every week across the due to subtle heart diseases like Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome.

There is much to be done by JHMT as the work goes on in 2015 to raise awareness and reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death in young people.

What is SADS?

SADS is an umbrella term which covers cardiac conditions that may cause sudden and unexpected death if not treated. SADS is sometimes reported as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, but this term is misleading, as these types of death also occur in teenagers and young adults, 12 - 35 years old. These cause the heart to suddenly go into abnormal rhythm ( ie stops beating normally)

Conditions affecting the heart beat ( cardiac arrhythmia) where there is no disease of the heart muscle structure are known as conditions of the ‘electrics ‘ ( or conduction system) of the heart.

A cardiac arrhythmia is a abnormal heart rhythm often characterized by a heartbeat that is irregular, too fast , too slow or chaotically. An abnormal heart rhythm ( beat) outside the normally acceptable range for adults of 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm).

Bradycardia is a rhythm below 60 bpm. Tachycardia is a rhythm above 100 bpm. A child's rate may be faster and acceptable ranges varies according to their age.

These heart abnormalities can sometimes be predicted by family history and include conditions such as Long QT Syndrome and Brugada Syndrome.

Each year an estimated 100,000 people die in the UK as a result of sudden cardiac arrest . The majority of these are due to rapid unstable heart rhythms called ventricular fibrillation.

A child/young adult should be seen by a doctor if she/he has experienced below:

- Family history of unexpected, unexplained sudden death (under the age of 40).
- Do you get unusually short of breath during or shortly after exercise?(not explained by just being
unfit!)
- Do you get palpitations (eg, heart racing fast, missing beats, fluttering sensation, irregular pulse
rate, thumping sensation in chest)?
- Fainting as a result of emotional excitement/distress/startle?