Baptist Health Foundation Teams Up with mCORE for Preventative Health Screenings for High School Athletes

August 14, 2019

Every three days in the US, a young athlete dies from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Every three days in the US, a young athlete dies from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  The American College of Cardiology states that the ultimate goal of athletic testing is the detection of silent cardiovascular abnormalities that can lead to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD).  A primary cause of death in young athletes is Sudden Cardiac Arrest during (SCA) exercise.  SCA is the leading cause of death on school campuses

Baptist Health Foundation is privileged to partner with mCORE to provide preventative heart screenings for local high school student athletes.  Early detection is critical.  Most heart conditions that lead to SCA cannot be detected with a stethoscope.  High School and college athletes participate in pre-participation physical examinations performed by a physician prior to competing in organized sports. Athletes with a family history of sudden death, Marfan syndrome, heart disease at a young age, a history of exercise-induced syncope (fainting), loud heart murmur, or previous heart surgery require further evaluation by a cardiologist. However, the pre-participation sports history and physical examination is often not sensitive enough to pick up heart conditions.
 
Types of Diagnostic Test Performed
• Electrocardiogram (EKG) - Measures the electrical activity of the heart.
• Echocardiogram - Uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart.
 
mCORE provides results to all for the screening services through a HIPAA Complaint medical site. Registrants set up individual accounts to which screenings results are electronically delivered within 7-10 business days of each screening. All screening images are housed on the medical site indefinitely and can be downloaded or sent to the athlete’s medical provider.