Simple cheek swab could help save lives of children with rare heart problem

The study found cheek swabs revealed changes in the youngsters up to five years before they were diagnosed (Alamy/PA) -

A two-minute cheek swab could help detect children who have a rare but potentially deadly heart condition, researchers suggest.

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is responsible for more than 10% of sudden cardiac deaths in youngsters, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).