Thank you to everyone who replied to my post this morning about the Daily Mail’s sensational heading re AF the silent killer. There will always be differing views on this subject. It is an emotive topic. My own views are that whilst I did not necessarily disagree with a lot of the content, to style the article as AF the silent killer, given the anxiety and depression surrounding this condition was sensationalist and insensitive. Currently AF affects 0.5% of the global population so 1 in 3 is somewhat of a stretch but then they do say an irregular heartbeat and that can describe so many other conditions than AF. Obviously awareness and investigation are paramount but I like to believe that I can live alongside AF without fearing heart failure or a stroke at any minute.
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to style the article as AF the silent killer given the anxiety and depression surrounding this condition was sensationalist and insensitive
Agree !
"Lies, damned lies and statistics..."
Yes, they've probably given the impression AF is a bigger killer than what it is but let's not "sugar-coat" it. AF is not a benign condition and it needs to be taken seriously.
I'd be more concerned if they downplayed the risks associated with AF or that it was left to "lurk in the shadows" with the general public not knowing much about it. I'd never heard of AF before I was diagnosed 5 years ago (aged 58), when I also found out my mother has had it for years (apparently I didn't need to know).
My view of the article is the "glass" is well and truly half full. Publicity can only help attract public attention and in turn, funding for research and treatment of AF.
my mother has had it for years (apparently I didn't need to know).
That was my mother's attitude, I only found out she had heart failure because I overheard her telling a shop assistant (a stranger) when she thought I was out of earshot. Because we didn't talk about such things I didn't know how to bring it up when we got back to her house. Totally barmy! Then I questioned her and discovered everyone on her side of the family had died from strokes or heart attacks or cerebral haemorrhage, and she was cross and still said I didn't need to know. So I know very little.
Doesn't she understand that some health issues are genetic i.e. they will potentially affect you too? For example, I'm at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes because my sister has it. Ditto for developing melanoma, which my father had. Knowing this helps me to be proactive and/or more vigilant.
That's why we get asked questions by our doctor(s) about diseases or conditions that affect close relatives.
She knew about genetic health issues because she used to say things ran in families when she spoke about other people. She passed away eight years ago.My father had the same attitude. I think they thought it was better for me not to know in case it worried me for myself. They were very old fashioned.
I keep my daughter as fully informed as I can and she is a great support. She encourages me to be proactive which doesn't come naturally to me I'm afraid.
My husband a Daily Mail reader, didn't show me this article........I wonder why?
The Daily Mail has done more harm to the British people than AF ever will. Leeching poison into the fabric of our wonderful country. There is no limit to the depths it will plumb to promote the interests of its deeply unpleasant billionaire owners.
Hear, hear.
I didn't see the article. Can you tell me how I can look it up?
You can type “AF the silent killer daily mail” into your browser and that should do it.
What date mail are we talking about ? You post says 14 hours ago but in our edition ( 18 April ) I can't find it. Thanks.
John
11.12 am
19 April
It was online 18 April but if you type “AF the silent killer daily mail” into your browser it comes up.
It most certainly did, thank you v much.
Haven't yet read it but I must say that scrooling down the Google page it seemed to list everything as "the silent killer" by Daily Mail where there is a cardiac connection, uk in origin or elsewhere. Weekend reading coming up. 😀
Help wanted to recover earlier post
Can you purchase any sort of monitor to record an irregular heart beat?
A third Way for Healthcare? - Dr Gupta Initiative
Silent af
AF - Status and Way Forward?
