SOUTHERN HILLS PARTNERS WITH HARDING YMCA FOR VASCULAR SCREENING

Heart Attack and Stroke Risks Identified With 6-Minute Test

June 22, 2009—AngioScreen®, a painless, non-invasive screening for the risk of heart disease and stroke, is being offered at the Harding Place YMCA on July 14.

In less than 10 minutes, this vascular screening tool provides information about blood pressure, heart rhythm, neck and leg arteries, circulation and fitness. AngioScreen includes a quick carotid ultrasound scan, Ankle Brachial Index, Body Mass Index, Peak Systolic Velocity, heart rate, heart rhythm and pulse (EKG). Participants receive a printout of their results on site, with written and visual reports.

More than 10 million Americans have arterial blockages in their legs, and 90% do not know it. People with blocked leg arteries have three to four times the risk of heart attack compared to a person whose findings are in the normal range.

AngioScreen can also test for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), an expansion or ballooning of the abdominal aorta, the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Images of the lining in the arteries in the neck can determine the presence of plaque, or atherosclerosis, the primary cause of vascular disease. Once this condition is detected, medications can retard, and in some cases reverse, the buildup of plaque.

AngioScreen is being offered on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Harding Place YMCA located at 411 Metroplex Drive.

Southern Hills Medical Center, a part of the TriStar Heart Network, is partnering with the YMCA to bring AngioScreen into the community. The screening information is meant to empower individuals to be better-informed healthcare consumers, to search out the medical care they need to reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke.

AngioScreen is $50 for the basic screening, and an additional $30 for the test for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. Advance reservations are required by calling TriStar MedLine at 342-1919 or 800-242-5662.

For more information about this and other screenings sponsored by Southern Hills Medical Center, call TriStar MedLine at 615-342-1919 or 800-242-5662.