WellStar North Fulton Rolls Out New Cardiac Screening Program

From WellStar N. Fulton Hospital: WellStar North Fulton Hospital is now offering the “Know Your Heart” program, a screening that can help determine patients’ risk for heart disease, stroke and other serious conditions.

The WellStar “Know Your Heart” program is a preventive, self-pay screening program that offers two levels of testing performed at North Fulton Hospital. Patients can get basic or advanced screenings depending on their age, symptoms and risk factors.

“This is a very successful program offered by WellStar Health System ­– and we’re excited to begin it here at North Fulton,” said Hunt Anderson, M.D., medical director of North Fulton’s cardiology program. “We know that cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes can often be prevented if risk factors are addressed, so it is vital that our community be more proactive.”

The screening uses a combination of patient history and laboratory tests, as well as an optional cardiac CT scan; these tests can identify heart disease, possibly before someone shows any signs or symptoms. The laboratory tests evaluate for inflammation and cholesterol levels, both of which can contribute to heart disease. The cardiac CT scan is a rapid, low-radiation imaging test that looks for calcium buildup in the walls of the arteries that supply the heart. This calcium is a sign of coronary heart disease; if performed early enough, a cardiac CT scan can help identify disease before a heart attack.

“Each screening includes a consultation where we give the patient education on how to improve their risk factors going forward. If there is a specific risk that needs to be addressed immediately, we then arrange for the patient to discuss these results with a WellStar cardiologist,” Dr. Anderson said.

During the consultation, patients receive risk factor education, diet and exercise recommendations, as well as a personalized report to take home.

“Know Your Heart” is one of the efforts of the WellStar Cardiac Network to fight cardiac disease and provide people with the support they need to be successful. Unfortunately, heart disease – already the number one killer of men and women in the U.S. – is becoming even more prevalent. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recently released new figures showing a decrease in life expectancy for the first time since the early ‘90s. Experts credit this country’s growing problem with heart disease for these staggering statistics.

The “Know Your Heart” screening is available to patients 18 years old and older and is especially good for people with high risk factors for heart disease, such as those with diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

To determine eligibility and to schedule an appointment call 770-756-STAR (7827).

Image Courtesy of WellStar