As Rylan Clarke reveals heart failure – the 4 signs you need to look for
RYLAN Clark has revealed of two horror dashes to the hospital last year after his body “shut down," and he almost died.
The popular TV host was rushed away from his Essex home in an ambulance after suffering .
Medics were forced to administer an injection in hospital in a bid to “restart” his heart.
Heart failure happens when the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly, either because it has become too stiff or weak.
The condition affects over 900,000 Brits with 60,000 new cases each year.
It is predominantly a disease of older people, however it can also affect young people in some cases.
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In Rylan's case, his heart rate soared up to 248 BPM - far above the average which lies between 60 and 120 BPM.
His friends and family had initially told him it was due to his heartbreak, but he insisted it was more serious.
During a talk at London’s Royal Festival Hall to celebrate the launch of his new book Ten: The Decade That Changed My Future, he said: “I knew it wasn't right. It turned out that my heart had to be restarted.
“I remember laying in resus and I had all these pads on with all these wires and not understanding what it was.
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“It was only afterwards that I said, 'What was the pads for?' And they said, 'If you didn't take your breath... because we would have had to restart you electrically'.
“You don't even think about it when you're there. So I didn't just get mentally ill, I got physically ill.”
Heart failure is a serious long-term condition that will usually get worse over time.
It worth seeing your GP if you experience persistent or gradually worsening symptoms of heart failure.
Although it cannot be cured, heart failure can be treated and controlled for many years.
What are the symptoms of heart failure?
The main symptoms of heart failure are:
- breathlessness after physical activity or at rest
- feeling tired most of the time and finding exercise exhausting
- feeling lightheaded or fainting
- swollen ankles and legs
Some people experience other symptoms on top of these, such as a persistent cough, a fast heart rate and dizziness.
Symptoms can develop quickly or gradually over weeks or months.
What causes heart failure?
Heart failure is often the result of combination of health problems.
Conditions that can lead to heart failure include:
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- coronary heart disease – where the arteries that supply blood to the heart become clogged up with fatty substances
- high blood pressure – this can put extra strain on the heart, which over time can lead to heart failure
- conditions affecting the heart muscle
- heart rhythm problems
- damage or other problems with the heart valve
- congenital heart disease – birth defects that affect the normal workings of the heart
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Other, more general health issues such as obesity, anaemia, drinking too much alcohol or an overactive thyroid can also lead to heart failure.