Sudden cardiac death, SCD, is the No. 1 cause of death in student athletes. Each year, one in every 40,000 to 80,000 student athletes are victims of SCD and about 60 young adults die of sudden cardiac arrest each week. This year, Glenbard South High School has connected with the Young Hearts for Life association in hopes of reducing this number. Throughout the day on December 3, the school is hosting free heart screenings for students in the Hallway of Champions. It is vital that every student makes an effort to sign up and attend this free screening as it holds the ability to save lives.
While some students may feel nervous about getting a screening, it is important to note that Young Hearts for Life, the organization Glenbard has partnered with for this upcoming event, is a well-established association created and run with the intention of providing free screenings to students across the globe in order to reduce the number of premature cardiac deaths. The organization’s website features a quote from its founder and medical director, Dr. Joseph Marek, who said, “We firmly believe ECG screening of all physically active young persons, regardless of gender or sports affiliation is clinically justified, cost-effective and ethically compelling. There are some things you cannot place an economic value on and a child’s life is one of them.” Young Hearts for Life, also known as YH4L, is a credible organization, reporting on their website to have provided over 320,000 high school and college students the opportunity to get their heart screened and have “identified more than 3,400 young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac conditions.” YH4L is one of the most recognizable ECG heart screening programs around the globe. Students will be in good hands when they go to get their heart checked this December. This is a dedicated organization with only the best intentions. Students can feel comfortable in trusting that YH4L will provide them quality care and a detailed examination.
Some students may be unclear on what a heart screening even involves. Young Hearts for Life uses an electrocardiogram device, more commonly referred to as an ECG or EKG. An ECG is a painless and quick test of your heartbeat and the heart’s electrical activity. It is particularly useful in detecting heart conditions such as arrhythmias and ischemias as well as general heart abnormalities. The testing only takes about 5-10 minutes on average; it is quick, easy and painless. While it is understandable to be anxious about getting a screening, as with any other medical examination, ECGs are relatively uninvolved compared to other procedures or exams. Recently, a few Glenbard South athletes recorded a video with information on the screening process. They briefly discussed what it is and why it is important to get screened. That video is available for viewing here.
As aforementioned, student athletes are particularly susceptible to sudden cardiac arrest. If you are a student athlete, partake in rigorous physical activity or are in a competitive sport inside or outside of school, please take the time to strongly consider participating in this upcoming screening. These screenings are most insightful for those who put constant strain on their heart through regular physical activity as they are at the greatest risk of an unrevealed heart condition. According to the NCAA, 3 in every 1,000 athletes may have an undiagnosed or underlying heart condition. Seeing as though there are over 520,000 student athletes registered through the NCAA, that leaves about 1,560 student athletes with an undiagnosed, life-threatening heart condition. The danger lies in the unknown. Getting a screening done will shine light on your heart’s health, allowing proper treatments to be administered if necessary. Without these screenings, many more students would suffer from sudden cardiac arrest, seeing their lives cut short due to lurking heart conditions that could have been properly monitored and treated. With that being said, you cannot know if your heart is in good condition if you do not get it tested. Countless children have fallen victim to sudden cardiac arrest when they were otherwise healthy. Sports physicals are not always enough, leaving many athletes with a false sense of security in their health. An ECG can detect about 70% of heart conditions while a sports physical only detects around 4%. That is a huge difference, especially when it comes to saving a life.
Heart screenings, whether they are from Young Hearts for Life or otherwise, are particularly important for young athletes. Even so, they are also essential for people who are not athletes. A few students are dismissive of this upcoming screening opportunity because they do not partake in sports or are not in any physical education classes this semester. Although the risks of developing heart problems are less for students who are not regularly physically active, it is still vital for all students to be tested and screened. Sudden cardiac arrest is still possible in people who do not participate in strenuous physical activity and underlying heart conditions are not only prevalent in those who are on a sports team. Getting an early diagnosis before the onset of symptoms can help save your life. While the likelihood that you do have an underlying heart condition is relatively low, this is certainly a time when the phrase “it is better to be safe than sorry” has immense validity.
It is undeniable that heart screenings can be lifesaving for both athletes and others. The 5 minutes it takes to get your heart screened has the potential to save you many more. This opportunity is quick, easy, painless and has the potential to extend your life. If you are interested in this incredibly insightful event, you can sign up here for your free heart screening on December 3.
