Free cardiovascular screenings for African-Americans | Health

PADUCAH, KY (KFVS) - Western Baptist Hospital will be offering free cardiovascular screenings for African-Americans on Thursday, Aug. 4.

The screenings will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Baptist Heart Center auditorium. They include blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, EKG rhythm strips and carotid assessments. Fasting is not required.

The free screenings will be limited to the allotted time and a Western Baptist physician will be available for questions.

Western Baptist says statistics show cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for African Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health, African-American adults are less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease, but they are more likely to die from it.

The hospital says high blood pressure, found in more than 40 percent of African-Americans, is a major risk factor. Higher rates of obesity, diabetes and tobacco use in African-Americans also results in high blood pressure and heart disease.

According to the hospital, African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as Caucasians, and about four out of five African-American women are overweight or obese.

For more information on the risk factors for hearth attack and stroke, you can talk to a Western Baptist nurse on the free 24-hour hotline at 270-575-2918.

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