A HIGHLAND GP is hoping his surgery will benefit from a fundraising challenge which will enable patients with heart problems to be assessed more easily and in the comfort of their own homes.
Dr Mike Langran hopes that this month's Heartbeat Challenge, which is being supported by the Highland News Group, will raise enough money to see that his surgery and others throughout the region are equipped with specialist palpitation monitors.
Dr Langran, a partner with the Aviemore Medical Practice, explained what the monitors will mean to the surgery, which has around 4,500 people registered.
He told the HNG: "The palpitation monitor is a little device like a Walkman which patients who have been experiencing heart palpitations can wear for a week.
"Normally if this is happening the patient will have to travel up to Raigmore Hospital or we give them one that we have in the surgery. However, what we have in the surgery can only used over the course of a day and it doesn't always give an accurate picture of what is happening.
"These new monitors mean we get a really clear picture of what is going on and it will enable us to treat a patient quickly and effectively. If we do find there is a problem, we can then fast-track them to see a specialist at Raigmore."
The Heartbeat Challenge is an annual family-friendly event - involving a 12-mile run or walk over hills and a 10-mile return by bike in the Clava and Moy areas outside Inverness - is held to raise money for cardiac care at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, and in the Highlands.
In four years, the challenge has raised £55,000.
Cash raised by the 2007 challenge enabled the purchase of an £8,500 transoesophageal echo (TOE) probe, which takes high quality ultrasound pictures of the heart.
Other equipment bought with Heartbeat donations includes a mobile echo cardiac machine, which is transportable around wards.
It cost £50,000, £15,000 of which came from the Heartbeat Challenge. It can be used by itself or with the TOE probe to perform ultrasound scans of the heart.
A diathermy soldering iron, which helps creates a bloodless field around wounds when pacemakers are fitted, was also bought by Heartbeat cash.
Cash already raised by the challenge is also going towards the £8,000 cost involved in producing an internet learning module. To be written by staff at the unit, it will provide information about pacemakers and users would be charged £10 to access it.
Each year, Raigmore's cardiac unit deals with 2,000 new outpatients, 2,000 returning patients, fits 200 pacemakers, carries out 1,000 coronary angiograms, and 400 angioplasties and stents.
Heart bypasses are done in the Central Belt or Aberdeen.
Aftercare for patients undergoing rehab is provided in the Highland Heartbeat Centre, a purpose-built cardiac facility which opened in November 2005 at Raigmore after the Highland News Group spearheaded a major campaign which raised over £1 million.
There, patients undergo physiotherapy, take part in question and answer sessions with cardiologists and the unit also includes a seminar room where echo pictures and patient management are discussed.
l THE Heartbeat Challenge takes place on Saturday, September 10.
It involves travelling 12 miles of hills by foot, either running or walking, which is followed by a 10-mile return by bike.
The route starts at Clava viaduct, over the Saddle and Pulpit Hills, into the Moy Estate, through Strathnairn and returns along the old A9.
Children aged from 12 to 15 can enter along with an adult.
