WMMC Offers Life-Saving Screening for Young Athletes

 

Warrensburg, MO (July 7, 2017)—Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) accounts for over 75% of all deaths in young athletes with 60-80% of those athletes having no symptoms prior to SCA (American Heart Association), but one screening can save lives.

Although SCA often shows no signs prior to onset, sometimes there are visible symptoms or family history details that can help your athlete detect the problem sooner. By proactively evaluating symptoms and family history, you can reduce the risk of a potentially deadly event.

Has your young athlete experienced any of these symptoms:

  • Chest pain during exercise
  • Fainting during or after exercise (omitted or after)
  • Unusual shortness of breath during exercise
  • Racing or irregular heart beat during or after exercise

 

Or is there a family history of:

  • Sudden or unexplained death in a first or second degree relative younger than 50
  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
  • Long QT Syndrome
  • Marfan’s Syndrome

With the new school year and upcoming fall sports season approaching, WMMC’s sports medicine physicians encourage parents of high school athletes to schedule an echocardiogram (ECG) screening for their athlete alongside their pre-participation physical, as 90% of SCA occurs while an athlete is training or competing. WMMC sports medicine physicians recommend screening with ECG once during a high school athletic career.

WMMC sports medicine providers, Dana Brewington, MD, CAQ-SM; David Glover, MD, CAQ-SM; Drew Glover, MD, CAQ-SM and Brent Hoke, DO, CAQ-SM at Central Family & Sports Medicine now offer ECG screening for all high school aged athletes as part of their pre-participation physical at a minimal cost of $50 (includes both physical and ECG screening).

Screenings can be scheduled Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:40 pm at Central Family & Sports Medicine. Call (660) 747-5114 to schedule your young athlete’s appointment.

Western Missouri Medical Center (WMMC) is a fully-accredited acute care county medical center located in Warrensburg, MO. WMMC prides itself in emergency care, obstetrics, orthopedic and general surgery, family healthcare, internal medicine, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care, rehabilitation services and more. Inpatient services include medical, surgical, intensive, obstetrical, orthopedic, pediatric and skilled nursing care, as well as a wide range of therapeutic and diagnostic outpatient services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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