'It is the saddest thing': ECG tests being misinterpreted with tragic consequences

ITV News reporter Lauren Hall speaks to a mother who says her daughter's cardiac arrest "could have been prevented"

ITV Regional News has been told a “concerning” number of patients have died from heart conditions after their test results were misinterpreted by medical professionals.

Clarissa Nicholls, a student at the University of Cambridge, collapsed and died while hiking with a friend in France last year.

She was a keen athlete with a passion for running and hockey.

Her mother, Hilary Nicholls, told ITV News that her daughter was "incredibly sporty", "hugely dynamic" and "had so much energy".

"She was the model of someone who was fit and healthy but she had no idea that there was something wrong.”

The only clue had been the year before her death when she collapsed while playing sport, Nicholls said of her daughter.

She had an ECG to check her heart but the test results were not looked at by a specialist.

This meant a rare heart condition was not picked up and Clarissa did not realise that exercising was actually putting her life at risk.

She died from a cardiac arrest just days before her 21st birthday.

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Her mother has spoken of the devastation of finding out that her ECG test results had been misinterpreted at the time, saying: “It is the saddest thing in the whole tragedy that we’ve been through, to know that her death could have been prevented if that ECG from the year before had been interpreted correctly”.

ITV News has been made aware of quite a few cases where patients have been discharged after having ECGs, before dying from heart conditions which were evident in their test results.

The Chief Executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young, Dr Steven Cox, said: “One of the greatest tragedies is when a young person presents with symptoms, they’ve gone for medical care, they’ve had an ECG and then they’ve been reassured and told that everything is fine and they’ve gone home, and then there’s been a subsequent sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest.”

He explained ECGs should be looked at by specialists but that often does not happen.

“If your child has gone to A&E and is having an ECG, you want to know that the person reading it is a specialist, knows exactly what they’re looking for.

"So it’s really important that these changes are made where young people’s ECGs and, in fact, all people’s ECGs are read by those specialists.”

That is a sentiment shared by campaigner Sally Bee who told us about her experience as a patient with a rare heart condition.

“I’ve now survived six heart attacks and that has been many visits to hospital as you can imagine" she said.

"I can remember three examples where I know the ECGs have not been understood…That shouldn’t happen, that doctor should have been taught how to read the ECG, but, if that doctor is unsure, then it should go straight to a cardiologist and that’s what hasn’t happened on any of those occasions.”

ITV News approached NHS England who said training for clinical professionals on how to interpret ECGs doesn’t fall within their remit.

In a statement, the Department for Health and Social Care said: “Patient safety is of utmost importance and we expect guidance on assessing electrocardiograms to be followed at all times and for all clinicians reviewing ECGs to have received the appropriate training.

"NHS trusts are responsible for ensuring their staff follow the latest clinical guidance."

It is hoped the interpretation of ECGs could be improved with the development of artificial intelligence. This is currently being looked into at the School of Medical Sciences at City St George’s, University of London.

Professor Michael Papadakis said it could be a “game-changer”, explaining: “With reliable A.I. algorithms, it may well be that we are able to take a picture of that particular ECG on our phone and, through an application, make an instantaneous interpretation which can give us what we call differential diagnoses – a list of diagnoses of what may be wrong with our patient that the doctor can act on.

"Obviously, that will save time, it could potentially save money and very, very importantly… it can save from potential mistakes."

For the family of Clarissa, it can’t come soon enough. For now though, they’re calling for all ECGs to be looked at by specialists.

Otherwise, they say, that opportunity to save lives will keep being missed.

For more information and support, you can contact Cardiac Risk in the Young

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