The Government has issued an update on heart health, following thousands of people calling for  cardiac screening to begin at age 14. These appeals form an online parliamentary petition, launched in response to sudden cardiac deaths claiming at least 12 lives under 35 each week in the UK.

Alongside a new screening programme, the petition demanded a ‘national awareness campaign to stop these needless deaths’ from cardiac conditions. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has responded by confirming that evidence surrounding sudden deaths is under review, with a public consultation set to launch in spring.

The department’s statement, published on February 13, said: “The Government is guided by the UK National Screening Committee which is re-examining the evidence for sudden cardiac death screening in young people and will open a public consultation in the spring.

“It is vital that screening policy is based on scientific evidence, as screening can also cause harm. The Government is advised on all screening matters by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which is made up of leading medical and screening experts. Where the UK NSC is confident that to offer screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.”

The UK NSC last evaluated screening for conditions linked to sudden cardiac death in people under 39 in 2019 and concluded that population screening should not be recommended. According to the DHSC, at the time, it was ‘unclear whether available tests could accurately detect heart conditions in young people without symptoms’.

The department also stressed that population-level screening could cause ‘harm’ by incorrectly diagnosing some people, potentially prompting them to make life-altering decisions. This could include abandoning exercise, which may have a detrimental long-term effect on health.

The DHSC continued: “Receiving a false diagnosis could also lead to some people being prescribed medication or undergoing medical procedures that they do not need, such as having an implantable defibrillator fitted. It could lead to people living in fear of sudden cardiac death when they are not at risk.

“At the same time, screening could provide false reassurance to others who are at risk of sudden cardiac death but whose risk would not be picked up by screening tests. Footballers seen having cardiac arrests on the pitch have often been screened, but the test did not show anything unusual – there are many causes of sudden cardiac death which might not be detectable as part of screening.

“Additionally, the 2019 review did not find any research comparing the effectiveness of screening with no screening in the prevention of sudden cardiac death.”

Despite these findings, the UK NSC is presently reviewing the evidence surrounding sudden cardiac death screening and plans to launch a public consultation this spring. NHS England also provides targeted support and screening for patients experiencing a wide range of cardiac conditions.

Extensive NHS Health Checks are similarly available for people aged 40 to 74 who have not previously been diagnosed with conditions like heart failure, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Further information about eligibility can be found here.

The DHSC response added: “More broadly, since 2014 the NHS has run quality assured antenatal and newborn screening programmes through which babies are screened for congenital heart disease antenatally, and in the newborn period. The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England currently have no specific ongoing campaigns, or plans to conduct a campaign, to raise awareness of sudden cardiac death.”

The petition titled ‘Fund cardiac screening at age 14 years and cardiac awareness programme’ has collected more than 27,000 signatures. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be eligible for a debate in Parliament.

You can view the petition and its response in full at Parliament’s website here.