BROMLEY: Raising awareness of the UK's number one killer

8:35am Saturday 31st May 2008

Cardiology staff at hospitals across the borough are putting the spotlight on the country's number one killer.

Cardiac arrhythmia is a condition where the heart beats at an abnormal rate and affects more than one million people in the UK.

At least 90,000 people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest resulting from a lethally fast heart rhythm.

To help promote Arrhythmia Awareness Week from June 9 to 15, staff at the Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough, will be manning a stand in the restaurant foyer to give out information about the condition.

The hospital's arrythmia care co-ordinator, Esther Randall, said: "Cardiac arrhythmias vary widely in type and severity, as do diagnosis and treatment.

"Once diagnosed, however, they can usually be treated effectively with drugs, devices or surgery - or a combination.

"If you suspect you might have an arrhythmia or any heart condition, insist on seeing a cardiologist as soon as possible."