Family's fears over killer gene; TESTS: Condition stops heart suddenly.Byline: By Steve Johnson Steve Johnson is the name of:
A FAMILY is facing an anxious wait before discovering whether they have a life-threatening condition which causes the heart to stop suddenly. The heart problem, which can result in sudden death, almost cost the life of 16-year-old Amy Manning six months ago. Miracle girl Amy, from Wombourne, near Wolverhampton, collapsed in front of her schoolmates and her heart stopped for three minutes "Three Minutes" is the 46th episode of Lost. It is the twenty-second episode of the second season. The episode was directed by Stephen Williams, and written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. It first aired on May 17, 2006 on ABC. . She has since been found to be suffering from the heart defect Long QT Syndrome The long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a heart condition associated with prolongation of repolarisation (recovery) following depolarisation (excitation) of the cardiac ventricles. It is associated with syncope (fainting) and sudden death due to ventricular arrhythmias. . Now special DNA tests are being carried out to identify the gene which has caused the problem in Amy. And once that gene is identified, tests are to be carried out on her mother and father Donna and Charlie and her 13-year-old brother John to see if they are also carrying the defective gene. It could be another six months before they know one way or the other. Long QT Syndrome can cause a very fast, abnormal heart rhythm Noun 1. heart rhythm - the rhythm of a beating heart cardiac rhythm regular recurrence, rhythm - recurring at regular intervals atrioventricular nodal rhythm, nodal rhythm - the normal cardiac rhythm when the heart is controlled by the , or arrhythmia arrhythmia (ārĭth`mēə), disturbance in the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. Various arrhythmias can be symptoms of serious heart disorders; however, they are usually of no medical significance except in the presence of , which means no blood is pumped from the heart and the brain is deprived of oxygen. Amy has had a defibrillator defibrillator, device that delivers an electrical shock to the heart in order to stop certain forms of rapid heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias). The shock changes a fibrillation to an organized rhythm or changes a very rapid and ineffective cardiac rhythm to a and pacemaker fitted and has been told she must take betablockers for the rest of her life. She collapsed on February 6 during a school PE lesson at Wombourne Leisure Centre. Amy's mum Donna, aged 41, said today that it was an anxious time for the whole family. "Obviously it is a worry for all of us but there is nothing we can do," she said. "The first thing the doctors have to do is find the defective gene in Amy and once that is singled out then the rest of us must be tested. It could take six months and it's a nasty thing to be hanging over our heads." CAPTION(S): WAITING...John, Amy and Donna with Charlie Manning (front). Picture: Neil Pugh Photo ref.: NP280308Gene-5 |
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