Essex doctors urge residents to look out for heart failure symptoms

Health care professionals in Essex want residents to be aware of the symptoms of heart failure, as part of a national awareness campaign.

At least 15,000 patients in Essex are expected to be living with the condition, but it's believed 2000-3000 of those haven't been diagnosed.

People are being urged to book an appointment with their GP if they're noticing the three main symptoms: a shortness of breath, fatigue, and a build-up of fluid.

Dr Henry Oluwasefunmi Savage, Consultant Cardiologist and Heart Failure Lead at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation said: "As part of the awareness week, we want to encourage local people to find out about heart failure. This will help us to identify those who have undetected risk of heart conditions and encourage them to go to their GP if needed.

"This is part of an international campaign developed by the British Society for Heart Failure, which seeks to reduce deaths from heart failure by 25% over the next 25 years."

He continued: "It's a condition that affects millions of people worldwide, but many people don't know they have it. The problem with heart failure is that without proper treatment, it leads to worse outcomes. One in ten of these patients do not survive hospital discharge.

"I think the people of Essex should not be worried because heart failure is perfectly treatable. We have over three to four decades worth of drug treatments that we know that make people live longer and feel better. But we need to get the diagnoses first."

The Trust’s heart failure service sees around 1,400 patients in need of emergency care each year in mid and south Essex, as well 2,400 patients with more routine needs. The service also performs around 150 procedures each year using complex devices, including defibrillator and cardiac resynchronisation therapy.

Staff at the Trust will be running stands at local shopping centres where the public can find out about heart failure, as well as receiving checks on their blood pressure and any symptoms.

The stands will take place on Friday 3 May at the High Chelmer shopping centre in Chelmsford, and the Eastgate shopping centre in Basildon from 8am-4pm.

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