A genetic condition known as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), which causes high cholesterol and can lead to early heart attacks, is believed to affect over 250,000 people in the UK. However, more than two-thirds of those with FH are never diagnosed, according to estimates from the British Heart Foundation.
Sandra McCartney, from Londonderry, was diagnosed with FH after suffering a cardiac arrest in 2019. She was clinically dead for 10 minutes during a holiday in Spain, where medics used six defibrillator shocks and five shots of adrenaline to restore her heart rhythm.
FH is a common genetic condition, with a 50% chance of a child inheriting it if one parent has it. If left untreated, 50% of men and 30% of women with FH may develop coronary heart disease by the age of 55. Northern Ireland operates a screening service for family members of those diagnosed with FH, leading to the highest identification rate in the UK.
Once diagnosed, FH can be managed with standard cholesterol-lowering medications, typically requiring only periodic cholesterol checks thereafter.