Donna was only 38 when she had a cardiac arrest at home and was saved by her children. Knowing that time was of the essence, Donna's children recognised she needed help, called 999 and ran to get help from their neighbours who started CPR. Thankfully, their neighbours had learnt CPR at work and were able to perform CPR until the emergency services arrived.

Before her cardiac arrest, Donna had experienced an episode of unexplained fainting. In some cases, unexplained fainting can be a sign of a dangerous heart rhythm problem. However, this is hard to diagnose without a recording of the abnormal rhythm at the time of fainting.

Thanks to support from donors just like you, British Heart Foundation (BHF) funds lifesaving research that seeks to tackle this challenge.

Testing an advanced heart monitoring patch

Usually, by the time a person who has fainted gets to hospital, they have recovered, and their heart rhythm appears normal. Patients are then often referred for further tests, such as Holter monitoring. A Holter monitor is a small, wearable device that records the heart's rhythm, usually worn for 1 to 2 days.

However, waiting for a referral can delay getting a diagnosis and wearing a Holter monitor can be inconvenient for patients. They have to be removed before showering and often they do not detect anything in the short time period they are used.

Thanks to supporters like you, BHF is funding Professor Matt Reed at the University of Edinburgh. Alongside a team of researchers, he’s leading a clinical trial to test whether applying a new heart monitoring patch to patients with unexplained fainting can improve the detection of serious heart rhythm problems.

This advanced patch is waterproof, can be worn continuously for 14 days, and will be administered as soon as possible when patients with unexplained fainting attend A&E. This could improve diagnosis and help prevent further fainting or other potentially life-threatening complications, saving lives and keeping families together.

Thanks to your generous donations, BHF can fund lifesaving research that brings hope to people like Donna and her family.

Donate today and help keep hearts beating this Heart Month.