Austin Foundation Offers Free Heart Screenings For Teens

AUSTIN, TX — Championship Hearts Foundation will offer free heart screenings for students between the ages of 14-18, next Saturday, officials said.

The screenings scheduled on Sept. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon will take place at Dell Children’s Medical Center, 4900 Mueller Blvd., according to organizers. "The screening provides a great opportunity for any teens, not just athletes, to get their hearts checked for potentially deadly genetic heart conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)," officials wrote in a press advisory.

Describing the need for heart screenings in this young population, Dr. Arnold Fenrich, president of the nonprofit Championship Hearts Foundation, said: “HCM and other underlying heart conditions often do not impair physical activity. However, these conditions may allow for heart beat problems and result in Sudden Cardiac Death. Warning signs to be aware of include palpitations (feeling a fast/fluttering heart beat), dizziness or syncope (fainting/passing out), chest pain/chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Any of these signs/symptoms occurring during exercise warrant further evaluation.”

The Foundation estimates 1 in 250 students is at risk for heart abnormalities that could potentially lead to sudden cardiac death. The Championship Hearts screening includes a 12-lead ECG and a limited two-dimensional echocardiogram (ECHO, or picture of the heart) to detect HCM, the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. In addition, several other conditions predisposing to sudden cardiac death can be detected with this screening, officials said.

These tests are not included in standard pre-participation sports physical examinations. Both the ECG and ECHO are noninvasive, painless and valued at more than $700. The Championship Hearts screening model is endorsed by the Texas Chapter of the American College of Cardiology as a quality initiative.

This free event is made possible, in part, through the support of Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease at Dell Children’s, volunteer local cardiologists from Pediatric Cardiology of Austin and Children’s Cardiology Associates, affiliates of Pediatrix Cardiology, and the complementary use of facilities and equipment at Dell Children’s.

Community volunteers will help with check in, escorting, and check out tasks at the heart screening. Adult and high school students interested in volunteering on September 14th can sign up online at www.champhearts.org.

Championship Hearts has screened more than 25,000 students since the program was launched in 2000, with approximately 1 in 20 referred for further cardiac testing, officials said. Unless cardiac symptoms are present, officials added, a heart screening at age 15 or later is usually sufficient.

Parents are welcome and encouraged to accompany their students during the tests, officials said. Online pre-registration is required and is now open at www.champhearts.org. Students must have a signed parental waiver in order to receive the heart screening that will be available at the event and is also printable via the pre-registration website. Check-in will take place in the Marnie Paul Specialty Care Center lobby, and free parking is available in the Outpatient parking lot accessible via Philomena Street.

While there is no charge for the screening, tax-deductible contributions ($25 suggested) support the Foundation’s life-saving mission. For more information or to volunteer, visit the Foundation’s website (www.champhearts.org) or phone (512) 900-3243 or (888) 884-6945.