MetroSouth Medical Center Launches “Know Your Numbers By Heart” Initiative

During the month of February, media personalities, politicians and other dignitaries are joining MetroSouth Medical Center (MSMC) health professionals in a campaign to encourage residents of Chicago and the south suburbs to get heart exams. The medical center will offer free heart screenings throughout the month of February as part of the “Know Your Numbers by Heart” initiative. The screenings will be held in Morgan Park, Alsip, South Holland and Blue Island and are listed here.

The campaign will kick off with a heart-healthy celebration, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb 6, in the lobby of MSMC, 12935 S. Gregory St., Blue Island. Andy Avalos, NBC5 meteorologist,and Jeanne Sparrow, WCIU-TV’s morning host of “You and Me This Morning, are among the celebrities who will “meet and greet” people at the event. They will be joined by other noted dignitaries, including: Donald Peloquin, Mayor of Blue Island; Patrick Kitching, Mayor of Alsip; Congressman Kevin Joyce; Senator Ed Maloney, and other community leaders.

The event will include complimentary heart screenings (cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index, value $30), refreshments, healthy food from local restaurants and raffle prizes. A free-will donation will also be taken for a designated heart-related charity.

In addition to the screenings, the hospital also is putting together a music video to call attention to the need for prevention. The video will air on YouTube and will be posted on several websites.

Every 34 seconds a person in the United States dies from heart disease. More than 2,500 Americans die from heart disease each day. It is the No. 1 killer in women over age 25, yet most women don’t view it as a health threat.

“Prevention is the first defense against heart disease,” says Robert Iaffaldano, M.D., cardiac interventionalist at MSMC. “By getting screened, people are taking steps to becoming heart healthy. Patients with high risk factors, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure and abnormal glucose levels, can be treated with medications. Those who smoke should quit. People who consume foods high in fats can alter their diets. All these factors will help save lives.”

MSMC, which provides advanced cardiac interventional procedures and offers a state-of-the-art heart catherization lab, is recognized for outstanding cardiac care. Thirty years ago the hospital was among the first in the Chicago, and the nation, to offer angioplasty, a procedure used to unblock narrowed arteries. Since that time, more than 15,000 angioplasties and more than 12,000 open heart surgeries have been performed at MSMC.

If you know you have heart disease and are looking for a nationally recognized cardiology program, call 708-489-7925.

MetroSouth Medical Center Heart Health Screenings in February

IF YOU ARE overweight, smoke, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or have a family history of heart disease, you should know your cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and glucose level numbers.

Find a heart screening near you!

For questions or to register for the free screenings call 708-489-7927.