Cardiac arrest ... Fabrice Muamba is treated on the pitch at White Hart Lane
FOTOSPORTS INTERNATIONAL Published: Today at 02:42
IF FOOTBALLER Fabrice Muamba had not received life-saving CPR after his cardiac arrest during a match on Saturday, he might not be here today.
"Every week in the UK, 12 apparently fit young people under the age of 35 die from undiagnosed cardiac conditions," says Dr Steve Cox, director of screening at charity Cardiac Risk In The Young.
He added: "Eighty per cent of these deaths will occur with no prior symptoms."
But how many of us know the skills we would need to save someone if they collapsed in front of us?
Around 60 per cent of kids say they would be powerless to help if a passer-by needed resuscitating, even though CPR could DOUBLE a casualty's chance of survival.
That is why The Sun yesterday launched a campaign to get Emergency Life Skills, or ELS, added to the national curriculum.
The drive – in conjunction with the British Heart Foundation – has won backing from former footballer Vinnie Jones, who stars in new TV ads teaching people what to do.
Below is a simple guide showing how YOU could save someone's life.
It has been compiled by Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.
She says: "If you're untrained in full CPR or unsure about giving the kiss of life, hands-only CPR can still help save a life.
"Just remember to call 999 then push hard and fast to the beat of Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees.
Here, we speak to two people who know first-hand how heart problems can affect the young and fit.
ADAM was just 17 when he suddenly died on a family holiday in Cyprus.
Since then his sister Sian, a PA, has been diagnosed with the heart problem that killed him. Sian, 20, who lives with her parents in Welwyn, Kent, says:
Adam was such a fit young man that even now it's hard to accept he died so suddenly.
We were enjoying a family holiday in Cyprus. Just minutes before he died, Adam had been laughing and playing water volleyball.
But then he said he felt unwell. He got out and sat on the side of the pool – before suddenly collapsing head first into the water.
My parents and I had gone for a walk and a friend of Adam's dashed to find us. By the time we got back, Adam had been pulled out of the pool.
An ambulance was on its way and a nurse was desperately giving him the kiss of life, trying to restart his heart.
Now we know Adam had had a cardiac arrest. Tragically, it was too late to save him.
Two post-mortems – one in Cyprus and one in the UK – confirmed he died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
For years we believed it was something peculiar to Adam. Then two years ago Cry, The Sudden Death Charity, suggested the family should all be screened.
My mum Julie, 50, had heart checks first – and, astoundingly, was diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome.
Commonly associated with Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, it is an inherited condition that affects the heart's rhythm. A year later I too was diagnosed with it.
It was a shock to realise this syndrome was undoubtedly responsible for Adam's death in 2004 and the deaths of many other young people.
We then discovered it can be picked up by a simple ECG. Had Adam been tested his death could have been prevented.
In July 2010 I had a mini defibrillator fitted.
It is terrible to think Adam's death has probably saved my life.
That's why I believe everyone should undergo a routine heart trace at 14. If an irregular heartbeat is detected, doctors can investigate further.
ASSISTANT site manager Nick collapsed in December and has now been fitted with a pacemaker.
The 27-year-old lives with fiancée Lynsey, 25, and their children, Brooke, five, and Riley, seven months, in Radlett, Herts. He says:
As a non-smoker, who is slim and exercises regularly, I never imagined I would have a heart problem.
But in December last year Lynsey and I were walking Brooke to school and after bending down to get her schoolbag from Riley's pushchair I passed out.
Seconds later I came round to find Lynsey looking very concerned. Apparently I'd fallen backwards and cracked my head on the pavement.
We assumed I'd fainted and carried on walking Brooke to school. But as we did so, Lynsey became more worried because I started talking gibberish – I kept repeating myself and asking strange questions.
After dropping Brooke off, Lynsey insisted on driving me to A&E at Watford General Hospital. She was worried I might have concussion.
The doctor said because I'd passed out, he wanted to check my heart. And I was horrified when the ECG detected a problem with the rhythm of my heart.
Terrifyingly, the doctor said I was suffering from heart block where the electrical impulses that make the heart beat don't always reach the heart.
I was lucky my heart had started beating again – but next time I might not be so lucky and if I wasn't treated, could have a full-blown cardiac arrest.
Doctors have been unable to find a reason for my heart block. As they have also found a slight problem with a heart valve, it is possibly something I was born with.
Since then I've had a pacemaker fitted.
Doctors say when the children are ten they will have to be tested too.
But it's something I feel should be routinely tested for in everyone. If it weren't for Lynsey insisting I go to A&E that day, I might not have discovered this.
And ultimately I could have suddenly suffered a potentially fatal cardiac arrest at any time.
He added: "Eighty per cent of these deaths will occur with no prior symptoms."
But how many of us know the skills we would need to save someone if they collapsed in front of us?
Around 60 per cent of kids say they would be powerless to help if a passer-by needed resuscitating, even though CPR could DOUBLE a casualty's chance of survival.
That is why The Sun yesterday launched a campaign to get Emergency Life Skills, or ELS, added to the national curriculum.
The drive – in conjunction with the British Heart Foundation – has won backing from former footballer Vinnie Jones, who stars in new TV ads teaching people what to do.
Fighting for his life ... young Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba
It has been compiled by Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.
She says: "If you're untrained in full CPR or unsure about giving the kiss of life, hands-only CPR can still help save a life.
"Just remember to call 999 then push hard and fast to the beat of Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees.
Here, we speak to two people who know first-hand how heart problems can affect the young and fit.
Adam Donnelly
Since then his sister Sian, a PA, has been diagnosed with the heart problem that killed him. Sian, 20, who lives with her parents in Welwyn, Kent, says:
Adam was such a fit young man that even now it's hard to accept he died so suddenly.
We were enjoying a family holiday in Cyprus. Just minutes before he died, Adam had been laughing and playing water volleyball.
Tragic death ... Adam Donnelly
My parents and I had gone for a walk and a friend of Adam's dashed to find us. By the time we got back, Adam had been pulled out of the pool.
An ambulance was on its way and a nurse was desperately giving him the kiss of life, trying to restart his heart.
Now we know Adam had had a cardiac arrest. Tragically, it was too late to save him.
Two post-mortems – one in Cyprus and one in the UK – confirmed he died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
For years we believed it was something peculiar to Adam. Then two years ago Cry, The Sudden Death Charity, suggested the family should all be screened.
My mum Julie, 50, had heart checks first – and, astoundingly, was diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome.
Commonly associated with Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, it is an inherited condition that affects the heart's rhythm. A year later I too was diagnosed with it.
How to save a life ... CPR guide
We then discovered it can be picked up by a simple ECG. Had Adam been tested his death could have been prevented.
In July 2010 I had a mini defibrillator fitted.
It is terrible to think Adam's death has probably saved my life.
That's why I believe everyone should undergo a routine heart trace at 14. If an irregular heartbeat is detected, doctors can investigate further.
Nick Dias
The 27-year-old lives with fiancée Lynsey, 25, and their children, Brooke, five, and Riley, seven months, in Radlett, Herts. He says:
As a non-smoker, who is slim and exercises regularly, I never imagined I would have a heart problem.
But in December last year Lynsey and I were walking Brooke to school and after bending down to get her schoolbag from Riley's pushchair I passed out.
Seconds later I came round to find Lynsey looking very concerned. Apparently I'd fallen backwards and cracked my head on the pavement.
Lucky escape ... Nick Dias
ROGER CRUMP After dropping Brooke off, Lynsey insisted on driving me to A&E at Watford General Hospital. She was worried I might have concussion.
The doctor said because I'd passed out, he wanted to check my heart. And I was horrified when the ECG detected a problem with the rhythm of my heart.
Terrifyingly, the doctor said I was suffering from heart block where the electrical impulses that make the heart beat don't always reach the heart.
I was lucky my heart had started beating again – but next time I might not be so lucky and if I wasn't treated, could have a full-blown cardiac arrest.
Doctors have been unable to find a reason for my heart block. As they have also found a slight problem with a heart valve, it is possibly something I was born with.
Since then I've had a pacemaker fitted.
Doctors say when the children are ten they will have to be tested too.
But it's something I feel should be routinely tested for in everyone. If it weren't for Lynsey insisting I go to A&E that day, I might not have discovered this.
And ultimately I could have suddenly suffered a potentially fatal cardiac arrest at any time.
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