More than 200 students 14-18 years old recently received free heart screenings at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin, part of Ascension Texas.
Championship Hearts Foundation, a nonprofit organization that teamed with Dell Children’s Medical Center for the screenings, estimates that 1 in 250 students is at risk for heart abnormalities that could potentially lead to sudden cardiac death.
The screening included a 12-lead electrocardiogram and a limited two-dimensional echocardiogram to detect hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.
“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," said Arnold Fenrich, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at Dell Children’s and board president of the Championship Hearts Foundation.
Thirteen students were referred for further evaluation.
