BRIDGEPORT, W.VA.— Dare to C.A.R.E. is a complimentary vascular disease education and screening program provided as a cooperative effort between United Hospital Center and the Heart Health Foundation. In West Virginia, this program will be exclusive to UHC and will launch Saturday, January 23. Screenings will be every Tuesday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and every Saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Risk factors of vascular disease include:
- Age (50+)
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Family history of heart disease
- Lack of physical activity
- Obesity
If caught early, vascular disease can be treated to prevent serious problems, such as heart attack, stroke, amputations, or even death.
Dare to C.A.R.E. provides a free vascular screening to any patient over the age of 60 or over the age of 50 with certain risk factors for heart and vascular disease, including smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Dare to C.A.R.E. also offers screening to all diabetics over age 40.
The Dare to C.A.R.E. program screens for abnormalities that cause the following diseases:
- Carotid Artery Disease: responsible for at least 300,000 strokes a year
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: the third leading cause of sudden death in men 60 or older
- Renal Artery Stenosis: affecting more than 5 million Americans
- Extremity Artery Disease: affecting more than 10 million Americans
At the appointment, the sonographer will conduct a painless, 15-minute, noninvasive ultrasound of your neck, abdomen, and legs.
After the screening, your results will be shared with you as well as sent to your doctor. If the ultrasound uncovers disease, you and your family doctor will discuss and decide on a treatment plan that works best for you.
Since the program’s start in 2000, Dare to C.A.R.E. has screened more than 100,000 patients nationally, saving and improving thousands of lives. Scheduling will begin in January. For more information or to schedule, please call 681-342-1365.
Photo Caption: Dare to C.A.R.E. is a complimentary vascular disease education and screening program provided as a cooperative effort between United Hospital Center and the Heart Health Foundation. Pictured left is Carri Criss, RT, (R), RDMS, diagnostic medical sonographer at UHC and Cheryl Farley, RN, manager of cardiac and pulmonary rehab at UHC, evaluating the results of a carotid artery screening.