Thursday, September 19, 2019
The typical school sports physical may fall short in assessing heart health. Because sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes, Beaumont Health cardiologists and partner 97.1 The Ticket offer free Student Heart Check screenings to area high school students.
The next Student Heart Check screening is Saturday, Sept. 28 at Bishop Foley High School, 32000 N Campbell Rd, Madison Heights, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The free student heart screening takes about an hour and will include a medical history, blood pressure check, an electrocardiogram or ECG, a “quick-look” echocardiogram – which is an ultrasound image of the heart.
Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required.
Beaumont Children’s pediatric cardiologist Dr. Ismael Gonzalez Rangel said, “One of the most serious conditions we’re looking for through the Student Heart Check screening is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - a common cause of death in young athletes. This is a condition where the walls of the heart are abnormally thick. Not only can this thickness cause blockage of the blood flow of the heart, but it can also put them at risk for life-threatening heart rhythm problems, including sudden cardiac death.”
Beaumont created the Student Heart Check screening program in May 2007. Since then, Beaumont has screened 17,863 students. Of those, 1,847 were recommended to seek follow-up, 211 were told to stop sports and follow up with a cardiologist due to heart abnormalities and nine were diagnosed with HCM. A total of 5,659 were trained in CPR.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the single most common cause of death among U.S. athletes. Nearly 4,000 of these deaths are among young people, and one in 200,000 high school athletes will die suddenly, most without any prior symptoms. In addition, male athletes are 10 times more likely to die suddenly as a result of HCM.
As students go through the screening, Beaumont will offer CPR/automated external defibrillator education and training for students and their parents. Experts say knowing how to operate an AED or perform CPR are essential skills that everyone should learn.
Beaumont also offers resources for adults interested in assessing their risk of heart disease. This includes a free online heart risk assessment that can be completed in just minutes. The assessment is available at beaumont.org/heartrisk
The Student Heart Check program is supported by Max and Debra Ernst through the Ernst Cardiovascular Center at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak; the Fraternal Order of Eagles; Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals; the LiveLikeMax Foundation; Jersey Mike’s; the fundraising efforts of 97.1 FM The Ticket; and others in the community.