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Student Heart Check Set For Jan. 26

DETROIT (CW50) Because you usually don't know there's a problem until it's too late, William Beaumont Hospital is offering free heart checks to high school students.

Every year students die from sudden cardiac arrest and these deaths can be due to abnormal heart structure or abnormal rhythms that can lead to cardiac arrest.

To help detect young people at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, the student heart check includes the following:

• Medical history
• Blood pressure check
• Physical examination
• Electrocardiogram,
or ECG
• Echocardiogram-quick look

This cardiac screening is generally not included in the routine physical required before participating in school sports.

The program is designed for students ages 13 – 18 and in high school.

Why this age? A Beaumont spokesman said, "We recognize that there is a desire by some parents for testing to begin at an earlier age. Although early screening might pick up some conduction and rhythm problems, some structural abnormalities, especially abnormal heart muscle thickening (hypertrophic cardiomyopothy), the most common cause of sudden death in the U.S.), do not become apparent until later in adolescence and would be missed if screening is performed in younger children."

To learn more or register for an upcoming free student heart check, click HERE.

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