The annual Heart Rhythm Congress, which takes place this year between 7-10 October at the ICC in Birmingham, is the largest gathering of arrhythmia specialists and patients of its kind in the UK with over 3000 delegates, exhibitors and patient visitors.
Organised by the Arrhythmia Alliance, an umbrella charity that include STARS which celebrates its 25th birthday this year, and AF Association, Its main purpose is to educate, inform and provide a space for networking and debate for patients and professionals. Our exhibition, which runs for three days on the 7/8/9 October brings together device and pharmaceutical companies so they can showcase their latest drugs, diagnostic tools and innovations as well as charities and patient groups.
Patients and their carers are welcome to take part on the special Patient Day which is held on Sunday 7th October this year. Healthcare professionals will be available to discuss topics and patients will also be able to share views and ideas with each other.
The clinical symposium at the Heart Rhythm Congress starts on Monday 8th and lasts for three days and a host of speakers including Professor John Camm, a world authority on arrhythmia’s (irregular heart rhythms) and Professor Blair Grubb who is one of the top specialists in syncope in the US. Both will take to the podium to deliver plenary presentations. Speakers and delegates come from all over the world to attend this event, which gives them a unique opportunity to interact and learn from each other.
Big topics for discussion will include how we can reduce the burden of AF-related strokes by prevention, improving access to diagnosis and early treatment. In the UK, you may not always receive the treatment you need depending on where you live and in many areas there is a still a post-code lottery.
We are also keen to get the message out that There’s No Such Thing as a Simple Faint, so that people who faint without good cause can get themselves checked out to make sure they do not have an underlying arrhythmia.
We know we still have lots of work to do to bring AF to public consciousness and even Public Health England recently launched its aging heart online questionnaire without once referring to arrhythmia. Blood pressure and cholesterol were both in the queries, but not heart rhythm and ECG results.
Just like you know your blood pressure, your resting heart rate and your cholesterol, you should know your heart rhythm (Know Your Pulse) to get a full understanding of your heart health. There are now small portable ECG readers which can send results straight to your mobile phone, so it is doable, if the will is there to make a change.
Registration for the Heart Rhythm Congress is now open and can be accessed here.
Founder & Trustee of Arrhythmia Alliance (The Heart Rhythm Charity)
Founder of Syncope Trust and Reflex anoxic Seizure group (STARS & STARS-US)
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