Pumping Marvellous

Guest Blog – AF Association (Part 3 of 3)

Atrial Fibrillation Association

So who are the Atrial Fibrillation Association?

The Atrial Fibrillation Association (AFA) is a UK registered charity that focuses on raising awareness of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) by providing information and support materials for patients and medical professionals involved in detecting, diagnosing and managing Atrial Fibrillation. There is now also a sister charity in the US, Atrial Fibrillation Association USA.

AFA works closely with medical professionals, Department of Health, government, NHS Trusts, PCTs, patients, carers, patient support group members and allied groups.

All information booklets published by AFA have been approved by an AF medical panel and endorsed by the Department of Health. The booklets currently available include titles on: Cardioversion of AF, Drug Treatments for AF, Blood Thinning for AF, two Checklists and an AF Patient Information booklet. They are downloadable from the AFA website.

AFA aims to provide support and information on Atrial Fibrillation to those affected by this condition; to advance the education of the medical profession and the general public on the subject of Atrial Fibrillation and to promote research into the management of condition.

The charity is involved in several campaigns for AF and heart rhythm disorders including World Heart Rhythm Week, ACT on AF and Know Your Pulse.

Its website, www.afa-international.org provides a wealth of information for patients and professionals including links to UK and international AF specialists.

Pumping Marvellous commentary

Magic Pills

We were asked to give some commentary to this debate which will definitley get more intense as the cost of treating people with cardio issues increases. It does relate to a number of chronic long term conditions as you will see as read the article.

The articke is titled “Hapton Heart Patient questions 55 study” from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph

“A HEART patient from Hapton has questioned a study which said all people aged over 55 should be offered drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Researchers from Wolfson Institute at Barts and London Medical School said that when assessing the risk of heart problems, offering treatment to all over-55s had the same results as testing for cholesterol or blood pressure problems. But the Department of Health said the study’s focus was too narrow and ignored other health problems, and the British Heart Foundation said risk factors beside age needed to be taken into account. Nick Hartshorne-Evans, from Hapton, a heart failure patient and founder of patient support group Pumping Marvellous, was diagnosed at 39 after suffering a viral infection. Now 40, he said that an all-encompassing age-based approach could miss cases in younger people and that people needed to be aware of genetic conditions along with the damage caused by things like alcohol, drug abuse, cigarettes and unhealthy food.

He said: “I think sometimes the powers that be, who potentially shape such vast policies like this, look for a magic pill.”

“Things like congenital heart defects this don’t applyto this study and heart problems in young people”

Catch the article on the Lancashire Evening Telegraphs site - the original discussion came from the BBC Health Site