The following is sponsored by Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute.
Sarah Young of Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute dropped by the FOX 13 Studio for a preview of "Heartbeat 2018" - a free community heart fair on February 3. More details:
See a MEGA Heart — And Get Lots of Help Keeping Yours Healthy — at Saturday's 2018 Free Community Heart Fair
Did you know that heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women? In fact, cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined. In the United States alone, someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds, and every 60 seconds, someone in the U.S. dies from a heart disease-related event.
What can you do to combat this killer? First, you need to know about your heart health. The first step attend Heartbeat 2018 — Intermountain's Medical Center Heart Institute’s Community Heart Fair — this Saturday, February 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Intermountain Medical Center, 5121 S. Cottonwood Street, in Murray.
Heartbeat 2018 is the largest heart fair in the Intermountain West and offers the community an opportunity to learn more about their heart health with access to some of the region's top cardiovascular experts. Admission is free (and cholesterol screening is just $8).
One of the first-time-ever features at the fair is the MEGA inflatable heart, the largest portable walk-through inflatable heart in the world. The MEGA heart provides a highly interactive educational experience that increases people's awareness of America's number one killer: heart disease.
You'll be able to walk inside the human heart, learn about cardiovascular functions, observe examples of various types of heart disease, and see displays of some of the latest medical treatments for heart problems. The MEGA heart is approximately 13 feet high by 15 feet wide by 26 feet long.
Inside you'll learn about heart valves, endocarditic infection, ventricular septal defects, mitral valve prolapse, and thrombus. On the exterior, you'll learn about myocardial infarction, coronary arteries, coronary bypass graft, and coronary stents.
“This is a great opportunity for people to get an initial assessment of where they stand in terms of their heart health,” says Donald Lappe, MD, chief of cardiology at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. “We encourage everyone to take advantage of these free screenings and resources to improve their heart health.”
Other activities and event at the Heart Fair:
• Get an assessment to determine your risk for heart disease. Depending on your score and your risk factors, you may be eligible for an electrocardiogram (EKG) at the Community Heart Fair.
• Cholesterol and lipid testing. New this year: Cholesterol and lipid testing is available to all adult participants at a discounted price of just $8. Cash, credit card, and checks will be accepted. Come fasting.
• Fun for the kids. Bring your kids to the Fun Zone, redesigned with new activities and more space. Look through a microscope at heart tissue and play a life-sized operation game. Kids can also tour a Murray City fire truck and ambulance and get an up-close look at an Intermountain Life Flight helicopter (weather permitting).
• Free family snapshot. Bring the whole family and grab a free family snapshot at our photo booth.
• Heart-healthy cooking demonstrations. Learn how to cook easy and delicious heart-healthy meals in demonstrations from Intermountain Healthcare chefs.
• Smart phone apps for heart health. Glued to your smart phone? Put your hand-held device to work for your heart by attending our classes on heart-healthy apps. We'll help you download and get started with several of the best.
• Deep dives. Do you know what a heart valve looks like? Do you understand your heart's electrical system? Take a deep dive with one of our clinicians and really get to know your heart.
• Pet therapy. Relax and regroup with our team of supportive pet therapy animals and their caregivers from Intermountain Therapy Animals.
• CPR demonstrations. Do you know how to save a life? Come learn the latest techniques in bystander CPR and be ready to handle an emergency cardiac arrest in your home or community.
The Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute is one of the nation’s premier heart centers, and has renowned heart experts in more than a dozen heart specialties, including artificial heart/mechanical support, heart rhythm disorders, heart failure, structural heart disorders and heart surgery.
Registration is not necessary. For more information, go to: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/locations/intermountain-medical-center/classes-events/heart-fair/
