Preventive Health May be the Best Cure for a Happier New Year
November 30, 2011
Preventive Health May be the Best Cure for a Happier New Year
Annual Roper St. Francis Goose Creek Medical Center Health Fair is Dec. 9
CHARLESTON, SC – November 30, 2011 – During the holiday season health can sometimes fall to the bottom of the list compared to all of the planning, food and festivities. That is why Roper St. Francis Healthcare (RSFH) is inviting the public to again participate its annual free health fair, which includes a number of health screenings, and put a focus on preventive health for the New Year.
I will be performing painless and quick screenings for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), which is essentially a disease that causes dangerous plaque build-up in arteries, said Carol Brittsan, PA-C, RVT. Brittsan, a Goose Creek native and graduate of Goose Creek High School, College of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina, is urging her neighbors to attend the health fair. It is a small investment of time to find out what you may want to focus on to improve your personal health in 2012.
The PAD screening involves the ankle/brachial index (ABI) which is a measurement of the blood pressure in the lower legs compared to the blood pressure in the arms. During this test, blood pressure cuffs are placed on the arms and legs. The cuffs are inflated, while a hand-held device is used to listen to the blood flow. The ABI screening helps evaluate the amount of blood flow to the legs and feet, which is decreased in a person with PAD. It is a highly accurate method for detecting PAD.
Other free screenings at RSFH Goose Creek Medical Center event include:
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol*/glucose*
- Cancer risk assessment
- Eye health tests
- Foot care information
- Health and wellness resource information
- Stroke risk assessment
The event will take place Friday, Dec. 9, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at RSFH Goose Creek Medical Center, 149 St. James Avenue (Hwy. 176), Goose Creek. Parking is free. The screenings are available on a first come, first serve basis. Please call (843) 402-CARE (2273) for more information.
Participating medical providers include John Gross, MD, David Robinson, MD, and Carol Brittsan, PA-C, RVT.
*Please note for cholesterol and glucose level testing, 3-4 hours fasting preferred in order to produce the most accurate results.
