Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-Olds

[Darren1]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

So, What ARE the early symptoms? Besides a heart murmor or other symptom only diagnosed by a MD? I too agree that D-Fibs should be in all schools... (we have one at our home...just in case my Son or I may need a jumpstart)

[Patti]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Before two of my children's heart murmurs were taken seriously, they were both about 15 and both been very active in sports. They did tire easily, but we encouraged them to keep trying as hard as they could and they would develop stamina. We didn't know we could have been putting them in an instant death position. HCM is still not recognized easily. Dr.'s did notice heart murmurs, but decided they were innocent without tests. This was 10-15 yrs ago. I think it's important that schools and sports organization recognize the importance of being prepared. Many instant death victims probably never knew they had HCM.

Patti

[StewK]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Sarah, I guess I am still missing something. The only quoted title that I see in Berts posting does not say "early symptoms of heart disease." Is the original article attached or posted anywhere?

[Sarah]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Dear Stew,

the article said "early symptoms of heart disease." this isn't the same as SCA or SCD (sudden cardiac attac/death).

the vast majority of scd, especially in the young, have no early symptoms. screening via echo and an ecg are the only ways to determine if someone is at risk (assuming they don't already have a family or personal history of any cardiac symptoms).

feeling dizzy, fainting, shortness of breath, an inability to keep up with the other kids, getting tired easily during exertion are all general cardiac symptoms, but are all vague and could be other things. most doctors wouldn't even bother to investigate if you told them your healthy kid felt dizzy on Tuesday.

don't beat yourself up, you did the best you could with the information you had.

take care and best wishes,

seb

[StewK]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Hi Bert, Thanks for posting your article. However, I think I am missing something. I really don't see any listing of the "early sypmtoms". Do I have to get the original article to learn the "early symptoms"?

I am very interested to learn these symptoms, as I lost my son Matt to a SCA and would like to learn what I missed.

Thanks, Stew Krug

[Lisa Salberg]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Nice lead Bert....
I could not agree with you more. Getting defibs in EVERY school should be the goal of each and every town!
Thanks for the information!
Lisa

[Reenie]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Thank you, Bert. I'll see what I can find out and approach our school here.


Reenie

[Bert]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Reenie, and anyone else who might be interested,

The company that we've been dealing with is called Life Support Systems, (www.lifesupportsystems.com) out of Massachussetts. You can call Seth Smiley at 617-364-5566 ext 17. They put together a very good package for our local college and the high school hockey program. It includes the defibrillator, training course (need to have that), and service/tracking plan. The whole thing without any additional options comes to about $2,200, making it well worth the investment.

Hope this helps for any who are interested. Seth is a good guy and is passionate about the lifesaving device that he sells. Give him a call.

Thanks

Bert

[Reenie]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Wow, Bert. I think that's a great price, from what I've heard. Can you send me some info on how to get some information from them? Thanks.

Reenie

[Bert]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Our high school hockey team just recently purchased a defib from Life Support Systems out of Massachussetts. The whole package with maintenance plan and training program cost us $2,000. Our local college also just acquired 5 of them from the same company. Small price to pay for saving a life. SCD can easily be averted with the use of defibs that even a kid can operate.

[Linda]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

This kind of brings us back to the need for CPR training and AED's in the community, a potential treatment for those unexpected emergencies. Linda

[Reenie]

Re: Learning to Recognize Early Symptoms Key In 15-35-Year-O

Thank you for this article.

Reenie

[Bert]

2003 FEB 23 (NewsRx.com) - Researchers in Sweden conducted an investigation "to study the incidence, pathogenesis and symptoms preceding sudden cardiovascular death among 15-35-year-olds without substance abuse in Sweden during 1992-1999.

"This was a register study of a national database of forensic medicine, Rattsbase. Clinical details were obtained from forensic, police and medical records and from interviews with family memebers", stated A. Wisten and coauthors, Sunderby Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine.

The researchers reported that "we found 181 cases of sudden cardiac death in a nationwide database, in 15-35-year olds, of which 132 (73%) were male and 49 (27%) were female, and a rather stable incidence of 0.93 per 100 000 per year. Preceding symptoms were seen in half the cases. The most common forensic diagnosis were: no structural abnormality (21%), coronary artherosclerosis (17.7%), dilated cardiomyopathy (12.2%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (10.5%) and myocarditis.

"Sudden cardiovascular death was uncommon in the young, but the incidence was not decreasing. Postmortem diagnosis were often difficult to establish. There was a high frequency of structurally normal hearts".

Wisten and coauthors concluded: "Because premortal cardia-related symptoms are relatively common and treatment methods are developing, we should learn to recognize early symptoms of heart disease. To identify individuals at risk, further studies of preceding symptoms, life-style factors and (ECG) changes are needed".

Wisten and colleagues published the results of their study in the Journal of Internal Medicine (Sudden cardiac death in 15-35-year olds in Sweden during 1992-1999, J Intern Med, 2002;252(6):529-536).

The corresponding author for this report is A. Wisten, Sunderby Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, SE-97180 Lulea, Sweden.