Young Hearts for Life

The Midwest Heart Foundation (MHF) Young Hearts for Life™ Cardiac Screening is a free EKG screening program created to identify high school students at risk for sudden cardiac death. It is estimated that each week sudden cardiac death claims the lives of 30 young adults in the United States usually during intense physical activity.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and in Illinois. MHF under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Marek, clinical cardiologist with Midwest Heart Specialists, is working to increase the awareness of sudden cardiac death in young adults.
HCM is the most common cause of sudden death in young adults comprising more than one-third of cases. HCM is a genetic abnormality present in approximately one in 500 people. It enlarges the left ventricle of the heart, which can trigger fatal heart-rhythm disturbances particularly during exercise. An electrocardiogram (EKG) can detect certain impulse patterns or “markers” associated with HCM that a stethoscope cannot.
Young athletes suffer sudden cardiac death at a rate two to three times as high as their less-active peers. In the U.S., more than 20 million teenagers participate in athletics. It is estimated that as many as 300 people will die each year from this silent heart condition HCM, and the vast majority will be young adults under 18.
In 2004, the International Olympic Committee and the European Society of Cardiology recommended that athletes under the age of 35 be screened with an EKG before they can participate in sports. Medical experts in the U.S. have not adopted the European recommendations on screening for HCM and as a result there are no routine screening programs for this condition in the U.S.

Since 2006, Midwest Heart Foundation has screened over 13,000 students in collaboration with parents, area schools and hospitals. Over 900 parents and community members have been trained to conduct EKG screenings. Physicians and community volunteers are an integral part of this program contributing close to 30,000 hours of service. The goal of the program is to screen all high school students in DuPage County, Illinois every other year.

All students that participate in the screening must have a signed consent by a parent or legal guardian prior to the screening. Parents are provided background information on sudden cardiac death, the purpose of the program as well as what their child can expect during the screening.

The screening consists of a three minute EKG. Volunteers attach electrodes to the students’ chest and limbs in preparation for the EKG. An EKG monitors the electrical activity of the heart and provides information about its rate and rhythm. The EKG is read and interpreted by a cardiologist.

Community and industry support is essential to the foundation efforts to meet the increasing demand from schools to bring the Young Hearts for Life™ screening to more children.