Breakfast on BBC

[migmog]

Quick quick tune into to BBC 1 Breakfast programme. -- AF keeps rearing it's head as one of the main subjects re Heart Condition!!

Hope you see it or go back on I player

Mags

[BobD Volunteer]

Yes I saw it and felt a lost opportunity. O K so BHF are not always the best at presentations but lost a chance to have an EP and sent one of their execs. and there was little depth to the discussion. Once again we heard about warfarin "thinning the blood " when it really doesn't. Aspirin and similar things do but warfarin stops it clotting. Quite different.

That said , any exposure is a GOOD THING . Not the first time we have had a slot as Richard Schilling and some athlete bloke were on a while back.

Bob

[migmog in reply to BobD]

Phew, what a relief!! Totally agree with you and the presentation - unfortunately the man (the patient) was not such a good interviewee, did not seem to understand what was been thrown at him!! BBC did not do their homework, obviously should have contacted one of you guys.

Mags

[BobD Volunteer in reply to migmog]

Hi Mags,

Unfortunately BHF have a track record of going off half cocked on things like that. I bet the initiative came from BHF not BBC. They did a two week pulse check advert on TV some years ago and missed the opportunity to work with AFA who have Arrhythmia Awareness Week every June. I worked with BHF for four years as patient representative on one of their committees but became increasingly concerned about the way they did some things so when AFA arrived I switched camps.

Don't knock the bloke as I know how hard it can be to be interviewed. I did a series of radio interviews when Dronadarone (Multaq) was approved by NICE and it is quite daunting to sit in a quiet room with headphones on talking to somebody you can't see at the other end of the country. I also helped by being in a film about AF around the same time so know what it is like to be in front of a camera. I'm used to talking in public but I found it quite an experience. I'd be no use on TV as I have a nervous cough! LOL

As I said, any exposure is a good thing.

Bob

[lizwright]

Didn't see the interview but was annoyed to hear on the headlines that binge drinking and an ageing population were the cause of af. They had best tell papworth hospital then as clearly they are better research scientists than one of hte leading heart hospitals who told me that they were unsure as to the exact cause and I could have been born with it, could have got a virus and stress plays a part. Why does every illness now have to have a cause that is the patient's fault?

[CDreamer in reply to lizwright]

I heard that as well and head same reaction! The newsreader couldn't pronounce atrial having several goes at it. Just a headline with no in depth follow up, is binge drinking a contributory factor?

[lizwright in reply to CDreamer]

It's very annoying. Holby City did an episode when it was caused by drug abuse. I suspect mine was heritidary (grandpa died at 55 unexpectedly and my loving family put it down to drink even though he was a top engineer) and triggered by stress. Never mind pass me another vodka and some crack cocaine.

[CDreamer in reply to lizwright]

Well if you have some please share!

[Hidden in reply to lizwright]

My thoughts as well. It was as though they were using AF as ammunition to try and put people of binge drinking. Good intent but giving the impression that if you don't binge drink, you won't get AF, which is complete rubbish and misleading the public. Typical media, they almost always get it wrong and try and make it sensational.

[schipperke]

Should have had someone that suffered long term, not enough said.