Beaumont offers free student heart check Jan. 21 at Clarkston High School

Program’s Goal: Identify Teens with Heart Abnormalities

High school students and parents beware; 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 System cardiologists and partners WXYZ-TV and 97.1 The Ticket continue to offer free heart screenings to area high school students.

Since May 2007, Beaumont has screened 7,391 students.

Clarkston High School, 6093 Flemings Lake Road, Clarkston, will host Beaumont’s next Student Heart Check on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"The screening takes about 30 minutes," says David Haines, M.D., director, Heart Rhythm Center, Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. "Those 30 minutes may save a student's life or provide peace of mind for parents concerned about their child's risk of sudden cardiac death."

The Student Heart Check program offers a heart screening that includes a medical history, blood pressure check and an electrocardiogram or ECG. Echocardiograms will also be provided, if needed. The screening looks for evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, a serious condition that can cause sudden cardiac death in young athletes, and other heart abnormalities.

Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. Call toll-free 800-328-8542 or visit http://heart.beaumont.edu/upcoming-student-heart-screenings to register online.

Since May 2007, Beaumont has screened 7,391 Michigan high school students for risk of sudden cardiac death. As a result of the screening program, eight students have been identified with potentially life-threatening heart conditions.

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 1 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.

Beaumont is Michigan’s, and one of the nation’s, most experienced providers of heart care, ranking 32nd on the 2011-12 U.S. News & World Report list of “America’s Best Hospitals” for heart and heart surgery. The Beaumont Heart Center is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art facility that’s dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart problems. Beaumont’s Ernst Cardiovascular Center has six specialty clinics offering breakthrough surgeries and treatments for people with high-risk heart and vascular conditions including atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease, congestive heart failure, aortic aneurysm and dissections, plus preventive screening. Learn more about Beaumont’s heart services at http://heart.beaumont.edu/.

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