Beaumont offers free heart checks for high school students Oct. 16

A typical school sports physical may not provide a full heart heath assessment for high school athletes and concerned parents. Because sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes, Beaumont Hospital cardiologists continue to offer free heart screenings to area high school students.

Beaumont Hospitals and Oakland University are teaming up to offer their next Healthy Heart Check Screening from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16, at Oakland's Recreation and Athletic Center on Pioneer Drive in Rochester. The event is sponsored by a generous gift by Max and Debra Ernst and family.

"The screening takes about 30 minutes," said David Haines, M.D., Beaumont's corporate chief of Cardiovascular Medicine. "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 Healthy Heart Check program offers an in-depth heart screening that includes a medical history, blood pressure check and an 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.

Since May 2007, Beaumont has screened more than 4,700 high school students for HCM. As a result of the screening program, 29 students have been advised to stop participating in sports after doctors detected various heart conditions and one student was found to have HCM.

There is no charge to participate, but registration is required. Call Beaumont Physician Referral toll-free at 800-633-7377 or visit beaumonthospitals.com/student-screening to register online.