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Heart Hospital of Austin Offers Free Heart Screenings for Student Athletes

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Life-Saving Tests Can Detect Potentially Deadly Heart Conditions in Teens

AUSTIN, Texas—On Saturday, Feb. 18, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Heart Hospital of Austin offered free heart screenings for students ages 14 through 18 years of age. The screening included a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) and a limited two-dimensional echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, to detect Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).

HCM is a serious genetic heart condition in which the heart muscle thickens. It affects one in 500 student athletes every year, often without warning.

“HCM is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death among young athletes,” Kunjan Bhatt, M.D., clinical cardiologist at Heart Hospital of Austin and with Austin Heart, said. “While it is relatively easy to detect through medical screenings, because it often has no symptoms, HCM can strike with no notice and can be fatal if it is not diagnosed and treated.”

An EKG and echocardiogram, which take about five minutes each, are non-invasive and painless screening tools. Results of the screenings were reviewed by a cardiologist immediately after the tests were administered.

During the event, Heart Hospital of Austin also featured CPR demonstrations, as well as a display of the latest cardiovascular treatment technologies.

This free event was made possible by the generosity of cardiologists from Austin Heart.

Heart Hospital of Austin will offer an additional screening on Saturday, Aug. 4, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Heart Hospital of Austin, located at 3801 North Lamar Blvd. Appointments are required. Each student must have a questionnaire filled out by a parent or guardian upon arrival.

Please call (512) 478-3627 for more information, or to schedule an appointment.

Heart Hospital of Austin
Heart Hospital of Austin, located at 3801 North Lamar Boulevard, is part of St. David’s HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas, which was recognized as one of the top 15 health systems in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters in January 2012. Specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, Heart Hospital of Austin is a shared vision of local cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. Working with hospital leadership, the physicians created an atmosphere of quality, resulting in the leading cardiac program in Texas for six consecutive years as ranked by HealthGrades®—a leading independent health ratings organization. In July 2009, a study funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services revealed that Heart Hospital of Austin was the leading hospital in the United States for treatment of a heart attack. Heart Hospital of Austin has also been named a top cardiovascular hospital in the nation by Thomson Reuters for six years, most recently being named to the list of 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals in 2011. In addition to providing a full range of cardiovascular services and an advanced Executive Wellness Program, Heart Hospital of Austin has a comprehensive 24-hour emergency department. For more information, please visit HeartHospitalofAustin.com.

Austin Heart
Austin Heart is the largest provider of cardiac and vascular services in Central Texas, with 12 full-time office locations, 17 outreach clinics and 45 cardiologists. Austin Heart has been serving the Central Texas area since 1973. Austin Heart’s cardiologists sub-specialize in every diagnostic and treatment area of cardiovascular disease, America’s No. 1 killer—interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, vein disease, sleep disorders, erectile dysfunction, imaging, women’s cardiovascular health and a nationally recognized research department. To learn more about Austin Heart physicians, or to schedule an appointment, visit AustinHeart.com.

Heart Screenings Austin Heart Hospital of Austin EKG