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.
