Physicians Choice Laboratory Services (PCLS) Sponsors The Heart2Heart Foundation’s Statewide Screening Day with $1,000 Donation
February 2, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women in the U.S. and claims more than 600,000 lives each year. In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds. Each minute, someone in this country dies from a heart disease-related event. The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women and men, and are often misunderstood. Approximately 80 percent of the risk factors leading to heart disease can be prevented or managed. That is why it is important to identify your risk factors and to know your numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, and body mass index (BMI). This information can help you and your doctor create a plan for your heart health.
In recognition of National Heart Month, The Heart2Heart Foundation and health care providers across the state will be helping South Carolinians gain a better understanding of their numbers through coordinating heart health screenings in their respective communities. PCLS’s donation of $1,000 will help Heart2Heart provide free educational materials to participants at each of the screening locations.
The Heart2Heart Foundation has worked with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and the S. C. Department of Health & Environmental Control (SCDHEC) to declare the third Thursday in February as the Statewide Screening Day. This year that date falls on Thursday, February 19 and throughout South Carolina individuals will get a chance to participate in heart health screenings and risk assessments to learn their numbers. Community events will be held during February to offer additional opportunities for heart health screenings and educational programs.
About The Heart2Heart Foundation
The mission of The Heart2Heart Foundation is to educate, support and advocate for women’s heart health, thereby affecting not only their lives, but those of their families. The Heart2Heart Foundation has a strong commitment to raising awareness about the number one killer of women, and men, in America and believes strongly in educating all age groups about ways to control or prevent the risk factors that lead to heart disease. Through strategic community partnerships with health care providers, such as Piedmont Medical Center in York County, Heart2Heart also focuses efforts on getting more adults screened for heart disease and also provides scholarships for women over 40 years of age to receive Advance Risk Assessments that includes an EKG and cardiologist review. For more information and to find a screening location, please visit www.theheart2heartfoundation.
About PCLS
PCLS is a specialty laboratory that goes beyond testing to provide innovative solutions to healthcare problems. Our services improve physician awareness of patient conformance with drug therapy, identify and reduce narcotic diversion, minimize adverse drug reactions, improve women’s healthcare and facilitate personalized patient care through innovative molecular diagnostics and analytical services. More information can be found at www.pcls.com.
