St. Richard Parish hosts cardiovascular screening day
JACKSON – Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease, stroke and aneurysm, is the leading cause of death in Mississippi, accounting for over a third of all deaths in the state. Mississippi’s CVD mortality rate remains the highest in the nation.
Amazingly, one out of every two heart attack victims and four out of every five stroke victims have NO warning at all – their first sign or symptom is the heart attack or stroke. These alarming statistics have prompted St. Richard Parish to invite Hattiesburg-based SafeHeart Health Screens to come to the parish on Friday, April 17, from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and again on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., to offer screens that test for risk of heart attack, stroke and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Screens are done with portable ultrasound and EKG equipment at a discounted price.
SafeHeart technologists take images of carotid arteries in the neck to detect plaque build-up which can block blood flow to the brain. They take pictures of the abdominal aorta looking for aneurysms or enlargements that might rupture.
They also use an EKG machine to record heart rhythm to look for atrial fibrillation, which is an arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat that causes about 15 percent of all strokes.
Finally, technologists take blood pressure measurements in a patient’s arms and legs to test for any disruption of the blood flow to the legs.
SafeHeart’s board-certified Mississippi-licensed interventional radiologists, who are located in Hattiesburg, review the results from the five screens and send patients a confidential report within two weeks of being screened.
All five screens take only 10 minutes to complete, they are completely painless, and they involve no needles and no disrobing. The price for all five screens is normally $129, but SafeHeart is making these screens available to the St. Richard community and others from the Diocese of Jackson for only $109 for the five-screen package.
Cardiovascular disease is called the “silent killer” because many people that fall victim to it have no symptoms, organizers said. “We always encourage our community to be proactive in maintaining their good health, and preventative screens such as these are a great place to start,” they stated/
Screens are scheduled by appointment and time slots are limited. If you would like to schedule an appointment or have any questions about the screens, call SafeHeart Health Screens in Hattiesburg at 601-450-5483, toll-free at 866-548-3006 or visit their website.
