Free heart screening for teens Thursday

Every year a handful of Texas teenagers die suddenly due to sudden cardiac arrest that can be caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a rare condition that causes part of the heart muscle to stiffen, trapping blood in the heart and producing an abnormal cardiac rhythm. It is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death for active teens, affecting approximately one in 500 young people each year in the US.

To catch this potentially fatal condition, Hill Country Memorial Hospital will host a SCORE screening on Thursday, Nov. 17, for those aged 14-18. The free screenings will be from 4-6 p.m. at the hospital.

Teens will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and they should enter through the admissions entrance.

Teens will be screened via an ultrasound of the heart and an electrocardiogram, or EKG. The exams are noninvasive, painless and take about 20 minutes.

“Teenagers, regardless of extracurricular activity, can get this screening,” said Amy Montgomery, RN, a cardiac rehab nurse who has helped organize the event since 2013. “The screenings are a simple way to ensure our children’s health.”

Dr. Kevin Gallagher, a cardiovascular disease specialist at Austin Heart, and technicians will perform the screenings.

“Since SCORE began in 2013, we’ve screened 261 teenagers,” said Dr. Gallagher. “No cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have been found, and that makes all the difference to teens and parents year after year.”

Dr. Gallagher and the HCM staff, technicians and nurses all volunteer their time to make SCORE successful.

To schedule a screening appointment or for more information, call 866-421-4264. Hill Country Memorial is located at 1020 Texas 16 South in Fredericksburg, and parking is free.