LIVINGSTON, NJ - November 19, 2008 - The
Saint Barnabas Health Care System teamed up recently
with several Livingston sports programs, Jonathan
Dayton High School in Springfield and West Orange
High School to prevent sudden cardiac events for
young athletes playing in local sports programs.
More that 130 boys and girls between the ages
of 6 and 18 years participated in Saint Barnabas
Health Care System’s Playing
with Heart program,
a free pediatric cardiac screening that helps to
identify serious heart problems. Soccer, football,
baseball and lacrosse players, as well as cheerleaders,
were joined by parents and coaches who were grateful
to be part of the event. Conducted at the Saint
Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center in Livingston and
staffed by Saint Barnabas Medical Center pediatric
cardiac physicians, the screening event included
EKG and blood pressure testing and immediate results interpretation to players
and their parents or guardians.
Mike Marini, resident of Livingston and coach
of the Junior Lancers Football team for 10- and
11-year-olds said, “It is important that
all athletes play in a safe environment- that includes
the conditions of the field, equipment, and the
athletes’ health.” With a family history
of heart disease, Mr. Marini attended the event
as both coach and father. He accompanied
his 11-year-old son Zachary through the screening and supported other players
on his team who attended. “As a coach, I want to do everything in my power
to prevent a tragic young death like those we have all read about,” Mr.
Marini added.
Ninety percent of sudden cardiac deaths in young
athletes occur during or after athletic activities.
Preliminary testing to detect these potentially
fatal conditions can help prevent sudden cardiac
arrest from occurring. Based on American Heart
Association recommendations, the Saint Barnabas
Health Care System’s Playing
with Heart program
takes a proactive approach in identifying these
problems in young players through screening and
education for young athletes, their parents and
coaches.
Year round, the Saint Barnabas Ambulatory
Care Center offers athletes of all ages and abilities
the benefits of a comprehensive Sports
and Physical Medicine Institute and an Imaging
Center with the
most advanced technology for precisely diagnosing
injuries or disease. Specialized physicians, including
orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists, utilize the latest
treatments and therapies focused on the athlete’s
specific needs. Whether it is general conditioning
or total rehabilitation following an injury,
athletes of all levels are provided expert care
and world-class resources, including the
most sophisticated diagnostic radiology equipment
and testing such as PET scan, ultrasound, CT
scan, nuclear medicine, and MRI (traditional
and open).
For more information or to schedule an
appointment at the Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care
Center’s Sports
and Physical Medicine Institute or the Imaging Center, please call 973-322-7000.
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