Last month The Family Heart Screening Clinic at The Mater Hospital Foundation began the cardiac screening of children.
The clinic offers support to those families who have lost a loved one, under the age of 35, to Sudden Arrhythmic/Adult Death Syndrome (SADS).
We recently spoke to Dr Catherine McGorrian, Consultant Cardiologist at The Mater, about SADS and the importance of screening.
What is SADS?
SADS is a type of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), where the heart appears normal after death. In the past, we didn’t understand what had happened to victims of SADS. Now we understand that they had suffered a cardiac arrhythmia – like an electrical storm in the heart – and that this can sometimes run in families.
Who does it affect?
SADS can affect anybody, and we can’t always know who might be at risk. If there is a family history, we have to look at other family members who could be at risk. That’s what the Family Heart Screening Clinic is all about.
Are there symptoms that people can look out for?
There are some specific risks for SADS, for example if there has been a sudden, unexpected and unexplained death in the family. If a young person has a collapse with a blackout, they should go to their GP who may then refer them for further investigation. Of course, a blackout or collapse is not always due to the heart.
How much does screening cost?
The Family Heart Screening Clinic is a public clinic and we provide it without charge. Usually patients have to get GP referral, but they can also contact the clinic directly for advice. It’s for families where there has been a SADS death or a diagnosis of an inherited cardiac disease.
What does the screening process entail?
We perform focused screening for at-risk families and we use screening protocols in line with the international experts. Our patients undergo up to four cardiac tests and come for a number of visits. It’s an in-depth process. The clinic was set up to answer the need for such screening. In normal out-patient clinics, patients have to wait on results, and it’s hard to see people as a family. Our doctors realised that this wasn’t the best way to screen families so the Clinic was set up so that it could be done in an appropriate setting and comprehensibly. It is a resource for families that are affected by this type of tragedy.
What can people do?
Some events are unpredictable but it’s all about being prepared. In terms of SADS, it’s all about knowing your family history and consulting a doctor if you are having symptoms. For families that have a history of heart attacks from ischemic heart disease, it’s about living a healthy lifestyle: healthy eating, regular exercise and no smoking.
For more information, please consult your GP or visit the website for The Family Heart Screening Clinic here. 
