“Safe Heart Screening sheds light on Mississippi’s health woes” on WLOX
By Ashley Conroy – email
JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Heart attack and stroke are often called the “silent killers,” because they can strike with no warning. A group out of Hattiesburg called the Safe Heart Health Screens is trying to change this.
They travel around the state to administer a series of five tests that check anything from an aneurysm to clogged arteries.
“When they come to us and have these five screens, they’re getting something that they can’t just go to their doctor and say I want to have all five of these screens done,” said Safe Heart Technician Susan Myrick.
Robert Wilson walked into the Safe Heart Health Screening to be proactive about this health. His great aunt died suddenly of an aneurysm. Wilson said she had no idea anything was wrong.
“And all of a sudden one morning, she had an aneurysm in her stomach and she died. She died instantly on the spot,” remembered Wilson.
The American Heart Association reported that Mississippi ranks number one in the nation for death from heart attack and stroke. It also said 50 percent of all heart attack and 80 percent of stroke victims have no warning.
Dr. Charles O’Mara from Baptist Medical Hospital said there are ways to minimize risk of becoming a statistic.
“Primarily lifestyle considerations like healthy diet, maintaining a satisfactory weight, treatment of high blood pressure,” said Dr. O’Mara.
Wilson said he wants to change his lifestyle because of that advice. “So now I’m in the process of working out and trying to get myself back, at least half way, the way I used to be.”
These screenings are also part of a state-funded Medicaid program where any Medicaid recipient in Mississippi can receive the services for free.
The program will last through the Safe Heart Health Screening until December 31, 2010.
However, for others the screening would cost $129 dollars. This group is coming back to the Jackson Medical Mall on June 18th.
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