One in 300 youth has an undiagnosed heart condition that can result in sudden cardiac arrest. The Kyle J. Taylor Foundation (KJTF), alongside UC Davis Health and Project ADAM Sacramento, is hosting a free youth heart screening event to help identify those at risk.
The free screening will be on Sunday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Rio Americano High School, 4540 American River Dr., Sacramento. The screening is for those ages 12 to 25.
The screening takes about 40 minutes to complete. It includes a cardiac risk assessment, an electrocardiogram (EKG) and a physician review. Echocardiograms will also be performed upon recommendation of on-site physicians.
The EKG is a simple and painless test that records the heart's electrical activity using small sticky electrode patches attached to the skin of the chest. The EKG, as well as an echocardiogram, can detect structural and electrical heart issues associated with sudden cardiac arrest in young people.
The purpose of the screening is to help prevent sudden cardiac arrest risk in children and young adults, which can occur without warning during sporting events. Annual physical examinations and sports pre-participation physical exams, which are required for sports participation, can miss about 85 to 90% of issues that can cause sudden cardiac arrest in youth.
