What, How and Why?
What is heart health?
Like your physical health, or your mental health, it’s important to understand the health of your heart and it’s function. The health of your heart is measured through a quick, non-invasive heart scan to test for Arrhythmia.
How can I get a heart scan?
You can book a heart scan through Testmyheart.org.uk - the list of locations continually updating, so keep an eye out for your local scan date. The Jude Foundation are working closely with CRY (Cardiac Risk in The Young) to bring more locations and dates within Essex.
What happens during an ECG?
The whole test takes a few minutes and is completely painless. Ten small sticky patches called electrodes are put on your arms, legs and chest. These are connected by wires to an ECG machine which picks up the electrical signals that make your heart beat. This electrical activity is recorded and printed onto paper. Below is what a normal ECG would like.
What will happen if I am found to have a condition?
If a condition is identified at the CRY screening programme, the individual will be referred to a cardiologist that has experience in managing your condition.
What happens if something is found on my scan?
There’s about a 4% chance that something will be found on the ECG. If we do identify an abnormality then we would recommend further investigations in the form of a cardiac ultrasound – which is what we perform most commonly – and sometimes patients are also required to have a 24 hour ECG and an exercise.
I’ve lost a loved one to a young sudden cardiac deaths
To help you navigate through your loss, we’ve put together a page of resources we hope you’ll find helpful.