Pop-up clinic checks for 'subtle' heart disease

A pop-up clinic was set up in Leicester city centre offering a free heart check to people aged over 60 to test for a "subtle condition".

A team of cardiologists from Glenfield Hospital listened to people's hearts for murmurs, which helps towards diagnosing heart valve disease (HVD).

Consultant cardiologist Prof Jan Kovac said many people were unaware of the subtle signs of the disease, which can be mistaken for normal ageing.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said it wanted to raise awareness of HVD, particularly amongst the Asian community, and help improve access to healthcare.

Symptoms of the disease include breathlessness, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, chest tightness and an increase in fatigue.

During the clinic at the Clock Tower on Tuesday, a check on Suryakant Patel heard a whooshing sound to his heartbeat and he was given a scan immediately.

Dr Anvesha Singh, honorary consultant cardiologist, said: "When we listened to his heart there's a murmur.

"We checked him with the echocardiogram that showed one of the valves is thickened.

"This would have gone unnoticed, but now we can get him into the system, get another scan and keep him under surveillance."

More than 500 people were screened at the clinic with about 50 having a heart issue detected.

Josephine Feeney, who was told her chest sounded normal, said it was important for her to get checked "for my peace of mind".

The 68-year-old told the BBC: "It's a great service and a good idea to bring the service to people."

Another passer-by Andrew Carnall, also 68, said: "I've got high blood pressure, so I thought I'll give it a go and see if they find something.

"And they have sort of, actually. I've got an irregular heartbeat, so I've got to take a form to my doctor and hopefully they'll sort it out.

"I'm not worrying about it, but you never know."

Mr Carnall said the service was convenient as he was "only going to the bank", adding he would not have got his heart checked otherwise.

The hospital trust said about 700,000 people aged over 60 in the Midlands live with undiagnosed HVD, which puts extra strain on the heart and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

It said most people associate heart issues with a sudden stabbing pain in the chest or pins and needles in the arm, but symptoms for HVD can be subtle such as breathlessness and fatigue.

Prof Jan Kovac, who saw people at the drop-in clinic, said: "Valve disease is silent and can go unrecognised. There's fatigue and tiredness for a long time, but it's not specific.

"It can actually shorten your life, so a heart check could be life-saving.

"A simple check like listening to heart, you can hear a murmur, which triggers an investigation and leads to possible treatment."

He added when detected early, treatments like surgery or minimally-invasive procedures can restore quality of life.

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