Fabrice Muamba's sudden death - cardiologists weigh in with scary information about Young People and Cardiac Arrest

Heart attack can happen to anyone -even the young and physically fit.  We reported the story in our blog just days ago.

According to the Telegraph reports the sudden cardiac arrest suffered by Fabrice Muamba was "an accident waiting to happen", according to a leading UK cardiologist with extensive knowledge of heart disorders in professional athletes. Muamba, 23, remains ill in intensive care after he had a sudden heart attack during an FA cup match last Saturday. 

"One of them is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy [HCM]," the cardiologist said. "This is a condition which can have a genetic basis, which may run in families or as an isolated case. It's where the left ventricle has totally disorganised and thickened. Severe cases can present as sudden death during exercise. It's an unusual but serious rhythm disorder. The heart shivers and shakes and stops beating properly."

According to the Mail online

But his case is not unique, according to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).  Every week in the UK, 12 apparently fit and healthy young people, under the age of 35, die from undiagnosed cardiac conditions. 

Dr Steve Cox, Cardiac Risk in the Young Dr Steve Cox, director of screening at CRY, said Mr Muamba's case highlighted the need for regular screening.

'CRY wants all young people to be aware of the importance of cardiac screening and to have the opportunity to be tested,' he said.

'We already provide screening services for a number of professional sporting bodies, including the English Institute of Sport, the RFU, RFL, LTA and a number of FA teams including Manchester City.

'One in every 300 of the young people that CRY tests will be identified with a potentially life-threatening condition.'

Muamba was 'lucky' in the sense the paramedics and the team doctor Jonathan Tobin was just seconds away  fully trained and immediately came to give CPR. Tobin gave Muamba mouth to mouth in an effort to restore his respiratory function, a procedure he administered in front of almost 40,000 football fans, reported the Telegraph.

"Fabrice was in a type of cardiac arrest where the heart is showing lots of electrical activity but no muscular activity. It's something that often responds to drugs and shocks.

"Fabrice had, in total, 15 shocks. He had a further 12 shocks in the ambulance [after three at the ground]."

The latest news today is that Fabrice is conscious and has spoken to family and friends.  It is still early days on his road to recovery.