Bury St Edmunds man David Swales backs British Heart Foundation campaign after stroke caused him to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation

A Bury St Edmunds man who suffered a stroke and was subsequently diagnosed with a heart problem is backing a new charity campaign.

David Swales, 59 and now retired, was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after he had a stroke in 2016 when, after completing a 10k cross country race, he began to experience vision problems.

He thought the symptoms were a result of a migraine and fatigue but when father-of-two David, who was an assistant finance director at the time, realised he could not see out of his left eye, he sought medical help.

“Before my stroke I would never have considered retiring early. I was young, healthy and I had a career I loved. But now there will be a couple of days every week where I struggle to concentrate or speak properly,” David said.

“I find I forget things a lot, so I now use alarms and notes on my phone to make sure I do things I’m supposed to.

“There are also days where I am affected quite badly by fatigue. It leaves me unable to walk even short distances and if I have to go upstairs, I have to do it on my hands and knees,” he said.

Hospital scans revealed clots had affected two parts of David’s brain causind permanent loss of part of his vision.

It also left him experiencing ongoing issues with fatigue, memory and thinking.

David is now supporting a new British Heart Foundation campaign and hopes sharing his story will prevent other people from going through the same.

“My stroke is probably the single most important thing that’s happened in my life, but I believe you have to make the best of circumstances,” he said.

“I continue to run to stay fit, although because of my sight loss and my cognitive issues I have to be careful when and where I go. I am determined not to let my stroke beat me.

“The BHF’s work is important to me because I want to see breakthroughs that could help prevent other people experiencing what I’ve been through,” he added.

Figures from the British Heart Foundation show that the number of people in the UK diagnosed with atrial fibrilation has risen by half a million since 2013.

In Suffolk alone there are 22,000 people diagnosed with the condition.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, Medical Director at the BHF, said: “These figures show a quite astonishing rise in the number of people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

“Research has helped us understand the links between atrial fibrillation and stroke and that has spurred the efforts we have seen in recent years to identify people with this potentially dangerous heart rhythm.

“What remains troubling is the sheer number of people who are undiagnosed and unaware that they are living with a heightened risk of stroke. Finding people with this hidden threat must remain a priority.”

Someone with atrial fibrillation is five times more likely to have a potentially fatal or life-changing stroke.

The most common symptoms of atrial fibrillation are palpatations, breathlessness and dizziness but many people don’t experience symptoms meaning they’re unaware of the condition and treatments.

The British Heart Foundation are now calling on the public to support research into heart and circulatory diseases. To find out more visit bhf.org.uk/this-is-science.