Have you heard the tragic stories about high school football players collapsing on the field? As recently as this past August, this has effected young people and families in South Carolina. (Darlington tragedy: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/news/story?id=6823526)
The good news is, the genetic condition that often causes these types of events can be detected in advance and if it is caught in time, lives can be saved. The condition is called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy or HCM. HCM is a disease in which the muscle of the heart becomes abnormally thickened. This makes it harder for the heart to pump blood and can affect the heart’s electrical system. Nationally, HCM affects roughly 1 in 500 people and is the most common cause of sudden death among athletes, responsible for 36% of deaths in young athletes.
The screening involves an Echocardiogram, a non-invasive test that lasts only 10 minutes. An ultrasound of the heart produces images, which show the structure and movement of the heart, and blood flow through it with each beat – allowing any abnormalities to be identified.
Providence Heart & Vascular Institute’s School of Cardiovascular Diagnostics will provide screenings in Richland and Lexington counties. This screening does not require insurance or a physician’s order and costs just $50 per person. Results will be mailed after the screening. The locations and times are below.
Tuesday, September 27 and Tuesday, October 4
5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Providence Hospital Downtown
2435 Forest Dr. - Columbia, SC
Thursday, September 29 and Thursday, October 6
5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Carolina Cardiovascular Associates
108 Palmetto Park Boulevard, Suite A – Lexington, SC
All participants must register in advance. To register, call Providence Health Connect 1-877-256-5381.
Go to our Facebook Page to see, Daniel Chambers, III, RDCS, RVT, Director, School of Cardiovascular Diagnostics and his student, Katie Speir, a senior student in the program, performed a screening live with WLTX on Friends at Five.
Tags: Conditions and Diseases, Echocardiography, Health, Heart, Heart disease, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, medicine, South Carolina
