According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), cardiovascular disease
continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States. Identifying
and modifying risk factors, along with early detection, continue to be
the best defense in the fight against this number-one killer.
This year, cardiologists and other healthcare experts with Valley Health
Heart & Vascular will be offering free carotid intima-media thickness
(CIMT) tests at the Shenandoah County Fair on Tuesday, August, 30, beginning
at 5:00 p.m. The tests will be performed inside Valley Health’s
mobile Health Coach on a first come basis. Pre-registration is not required.
The CIMT test was developed to help identify those individuals at higher
risk for cardiovascular disease in its earliest and most treatable stage.
The noninvasive test is performed with ultrasound and measures the thickness
of the inner two layers of the carotid artery. Cardiologists use the results
of the test to determine the “age” of the carotid arteries,
which may indicate the need for a more aggressive approach to managing
all the risk factors associated with heart disease.
In addition to the free CIMT tests on August 30, Shenandoah Memorial Hospital
staff will be offering free blood pressures each night, August 28 –
September 3, and free skin cancer checks performed by physicians with
SMH General Surgery on August 29 and again on September 3. Other nights
will feature information on bone health and joint replacement with healthcare
experts from Valley Health Orthopedics; blood pressures and general health
information with SMH Family and Internal Medicine; maternal and child
health with SMH Obstetrics and Gynecology and diabetes education with
Valley Health Diabetes Management.
For more information on the CIMT test, please call 540-536-4069 or
click here for a CIMT screening questionnaire which will help determine if you are
a candidate for the screening