Max George has shared further details about his diagnosis after doctors discovered the cause of his heart condition in new health update from his hopsital bed on Sunday.
The Wanted singer, 36, explained he was suffering from a 2:1 atrioventricular block after revealing earlier this week that he would be spending Christmas in hospital in order to undergo open heart surgery to have a pacemaker fitted.
An Atrioventricular block is a disorder that occurs when electrical impulses are delayed or blocked from reaching the ventricles.
The cause has been a ‘mystery’ and Max, who has battled alcoholism in the past, previously said: ‘We’ve cancelled out a few things, like alcohol for example I’ve not had a drink for four-and-a-half years so it’s not that’.
Now in a new update he told his followers: ‘I hope you are having a good night, spoke to the nurse earlier and good news is I get to have a scan earlier than I thought’.
‘So that’s really really good, and it’s called a 2:1 block, that’s what we know at the moment, going to try and find out the cause before determining how we treat it, wether a pacemaker, defibrillator, or something else’.
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Max George, 36, has shared further details about his diagnosis after doctors discovered the cause of his heart condition in new health update from his hopsital bed on Sunday
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The Wanted singer, 36, revealed earlier this week that he would be spending Christmas in hospital and has now said medics believe he is suffering from a 2:1 atrioventricular block
Looking on the bright side he quipped: ‘So that’s where here I am at, feeling OK tonight, City game didn’t help much’ – after his beloved Manchester City lost to United.
A pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device that prevents the heart from beating too slowly. Surgery is needed to install it and the operation is generally carried out under local anaesthetic.
It comes hours after Max revealed he would undergo open heart surgery to have the device fitted, as he explained it stops the heart from beating too slowly after they found an issue with the ‘bottom part of his heart’.
Pointing to his chest, he said: ‘So latest is that 100 per cent I’m going to have a little friend put in here at some point.
‘Erm, I’ve got an issue with the bottom part of my heart, it’s called a block. The tricky bit is what I have put in because until I have further tests we don’t know what caused it.’
On Friday, the singer shared he had had a ‘rough day’ in hospital. He said: ‘I’ve had a bit of a rough day today.
‘My heart rate dropped this morning, which was a little bit scary. But everyone here’s amazing and they managed to get it back up a little bit and get it stable again, which is great.
‘A lot of friends and family are asking why I’m not just going in and having anything done yet, but there’s so many tests that need to be done before we do anything.’
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An Atrioventricular block is a disorder that occurs when electrical impulses are delayed or blocked from reaching the ventricles
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Hours earlier Max begged his heart monitor to increase before it appeared to switch off
‘I just need to get through to next week and have all the tests done, then they’ll know exactly what to do.’
What is a 2:1 atrioventricular block
Atrioventricular block is a condition where the heart beats more slowly or with an abnormal rhythm. It’s caused by a problem with the electrical pulses that control how your heart beats.
Symptoms depend on how severe your heart block is. The least serious is 1st-degree heart block, which may not cause any symptoms.
2nd-degree heart block sometimes causes troublesome symptoms that need treatment.
3rd-degree heart block is the most serious and can sometimes be a medical emergency.
Source NHS
Max concluded his message by noting he is determined to stay positive amid the ordeal.
He said: ‘Obviously they’ll be able to do something but it’ll be better doing it with all the information they need. But year, it’s s**** But still here and staying positive.’
In his initial post to Instagram, Max – who is dating former EastEnders actress Maisie Smith – revealed he will be spending Christmas in hospital.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘Yesterday I felt really unwell and was taken in to hospital. Unfortunately after some tests they’ve found that I have some issues with my heart.
‘I have a lot more tests to determine the extent of the problems and what surgery I will need to get me back on my feet.
‘It’s gonna be a difficult few weeks / months… and Christmas in a hospital bed wasn’t exactly what I had planned!
‘But, as always, I’m surrounded with love and support from my wonderful partner Maisie, her family, my family and friends.. and I’m 100% in the best place.
‘Although this is a huge shock and no doubt a set back, it’s something I’ll take on with all I’ve got! I count myself very lucky that this was caught when it was.
The binge contained roughly 38 units of alcohol. The NHS advises that men and women don’t consume more than 14 units across the space of a week.
Speaking about his drinking on Channel 4’s Scared Of The Dark, he said: ‘I would always be p***ed before we performed. I struggled to adapt so I used to drink to make myself feel like it didn’t bother me.
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It comes hours after Max revealed he will undergo open heart surgery to have a pacemaker fitted
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The singer admitted he is ‘very lucky that this was caught when it was’ as he shared the shocking health update from hospital, showing a heart monitor across his chest
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The Wanted stars Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes, Tom Parker – who passed away in March 2022 – Max and Jay McGuiness pictured in 2021
Max George’s shocked showbiz pals and his actress girlfriend pray for stricken star in emotional tributes
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Max has been open about his battle with binge drinking and alcoholism over the years, previously admitting he drank ’10 pints and three bottles of wine in one night’
‘It’s quite hard sometimes to differentiate between the anxiety and depression but mine was certainly more the anxiety side which started when the boys got to number one with All Time Low.’
WHAT IS A PACEMAKER?
A pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device that prevents the heart from beating too slowly.
Surgery is needed to install it and the operation is generally carried out under local anaesthetic
Around 50,000 people are fitted with a pacemaker every year in the UK, according to the British Heart Foundation
Referencing his birthday binge session, he confessed: ‘I was ill for a week. The doctor looked at my liver and said my liver count was pretty low, I’m not messing with my liver. So I stopped.’
He added that he was also inspired to stop drinking after learning of late bandmate Tom Parker’s stage four glioblastoma diagnosis.
Tom died aged 33 on March 30, 2022 following an 18-month battle with brain cancer.
Breaking down in tears, he confessed to Paul: ‘How do you deal with it? There’s no cure for that so you just sort of learn to carry on with your life I guess. But deal with it, definitely not.
‘I don’t—I don’t think I’ll ever be okay with it you know. One of the last things I said to him was— I thanked him for making my life so much better than what it ever could have been, you know, like that whole journey through being in the band.
‘He was my best friend. F**k. I just don’t want it to be like a burden or a thing with anyone else.’
Max previously revealed that sobriety has made life clearer, despite leaving him ‘really bored at weekends’.
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Last year, the singer revealed he used alcohol to ‘adapt’ to the spotlight and to help ease his anxiety during his ‘lowest ever point’
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He added that he was also inspired to stop drinking after learning of Tom’s (pictured) stage four glioblastoma diagnosis
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Max has been in a relationship with EastEnders star Maisie Smith since 2022
He said in March last year: ‘I haven’t drunk in 18 months, everyone says “I bet you feel well better don’t you?”
‘No, I just feel really bored at weekends! Just grim as usual through the week. It has been good, it’s easier to keep fit… so yeah, everything’s pretty clear now.’
The Wanted released a statement in January 2014 to announce they were taking time apart to ‘pursue personal endeavors’.
Max’s bandmate Tom was given just 12 months to live by doctors in October 2020, before his death in 2022.
