Call for awarneness of sudden adult death syndrome

GREATER PUBLIC awareness is needed about sudden adult death syndrome, a coroner said yesterday at an inquest into the death of a girl who collapsed and died at a friend’s 18th birthday party. 

Nicole Campbell (16), of Barr na Háille, Claremorris, was dancing with friends at a house party in Ballindine on March 6th last when she appeared to faint. She died shortly afterwards despite efforts to resuscitate her. 

Dr Fadel Bennani, a consultant pathologist at Mayo General Hospital, said that in recent years there had been increasing evidence that such deaths may be due to faults within the electrical activity of the heart.

"It may run in a family," Dr Bennani said.

The pathologist explained that Dr Mary Sheppard, of the department of pathology at Royal Brompton Hospital in London, who had examined the case, had recommended that the family be apprised of the situation regarding sudden adult death syndrome.

After returning a verdict of sudden adult death syndrome in accordance with the medical evidence, coroner for south Mayo John O’Dwyer said such sudden deaths were unfortunately becoming more common.

"The public should be made more aware that the risks are there," the coroner said.

The inquest heard that Nicole, a student at St Colman’s College, Claremorris, was a friendly, outgoing person who loved music and was involved in her school musical.

She had been attending her friend Maura Callaghan’s 18th birthday party and was, according to her friends, "totally normal" before she collapsed.

At the conclusion of the inquest, the dead girl’s mother, Dorothy, said the family was "totally devastated at losing our beautiful Nicole".

GAA: A teenage GAA player collapsed and died during a minor football match in Co Down last night.

A doctor and a nurse who had been at the game in Rostrevor battled for 35 minutes in a bid to save Patrick Dinsmore’s life, at one stage using a defibrillator to try to resuscitate him.

With Down due to play Kildare in this Sunday’s All-Ireland senior football semi-final at Croke Park, SDLP councillor Michael Carr said: “This death has cast a shadow over everything. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.”

Patrick, who was a pupil at St Colman’s in Newry was due to celebrate his 17th birthday tomorrow.

He had been playing for St Peter’s, Warrenpoint, against neighbours St Bronagh’s when he fell ill. He was standing on the pitch on his own when he collapsed.

Carr said: “This really is a devastating, utterly devastating, death of a fine young man.

“The local area is finding it hard to come to terms with it as the young lad was so well thought of and was taking part in something he loved, representing his local community.”

Does playing sport cause sudden cardiac death?

 

Healthy man, 25, collapses and dies playing Wii Fit game

A ‘fit and healthy’ 25-year-old man suddenly collapsed and died in front of his horrified girlfriend and best friend as he played a computer game.

Tim Eves was ‘jogging’ on a Wii Fit games console as Emma Tuck and Lewis Hickin looked on, when he slumped to the floor.

The tragedy happened just hours after Tim had flown home from celebrating his mother’s 50th birthday in Portugal.

Devastated Emma, 26, said last night: ‘Tim was the best boyfriend anyone could have and the best friend a girl could have.

‘I love him loads and will miss him so much.’

Paramedics dashed to the house and rushed Tim, who had been fit and well, to hospital but it was too late.

The family were told he could have been killed by Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

Also known as Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome, it is a disorder of the electrical system of the heart.

Those with the condition are vulnerable to an abnormal heart rhythm. During exercise the heart may stop pumping out blood, causing the brain to become deprived of blood and sudden death.

The condition is estimated to kill 500 people a year.

Tim’s father, Alan, said: ‘He was just such a helpful, considerate and caring person.

‘He really threw himself into things and lived life to the absolute full.’ 

He added: ‘Tim packed so much into the 25 years that even if he had lived another 25 years he couldn’t possibly have made any more friends.

‘We all loved him so much.’

The tragedy occurred on March 4 at the home Tim shared with Lewis, 25, in Hopton-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

He had just returned to England after visiting his parents at their Portuguese home and had spoken to them on the phone just minutes before he collapsed.

His mother June said: ‘We spoke to him on the phone when he was playing on the Wii machine.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1165796/Healthy-man-25-collapses-dies-playing-Wii-Fit-game.html#ixzz0wIT3a4Ox