At Southwest Washington Medical Center, we believe in better health from the inside out. That's why Southwest and Life Line Screening are teaming up to bring valuable and affordable screenings to Clark County.

Life Line Screening® is the nation's largest provider of heart and vascular screenings, and Southwest's Heart and Vascular Center is among the region's top hospitals for cardiovascular care.

The partnership between Southwest and Life Line Screening is designed to spot heart and vascular disease so you can get the help you need to improve blood flow and prevent a catastrophic event, like a heart attack or stroke.

Invest in Your Health
Don't wait until you need 9-1-1. Take good health by the collar and make plans for a heart and vascular check up. Register now for a screening event near you or call Life Line Screening® at 1.888.683.4068 for more information.

What is included in the screening package?
The Life Line Screening® package sponsored by Southwest provides screenings to check the health of your arteries and blood flow. For around $140, you can get four tests that identify risk of vascular disease and stroke:

• Stroke/Carotid Artery Disease: A stroke results from the disruption of adequate blood flow to the brain. The carotid arteries are the main blood supply to the brain, and plaque buildup in these arteries is the leading cause of stroke. Up to 50% of all stroke victims never have symptoms.
  
  Life Line Screening® uses ultrasound technology to measure the velocity of the blood flow through these vessels.
• Peripheral Artery Disease: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is more commonly known as hardening of the arteries. It is caused by a gradual process in which cholesterol and scar tissue build up in the artery, forming a substance called plaque that clogs the artery. Individuals with PAD are at a four-fold risk of heart attack and a two to three-fold greater risk for stroke, compared to individuals of the same age without PAD.
  
  Life Line Screening® uses an Ankle Brachial Index (ABI index) test to determine a ratio between the pressures in your arms and legs and will identify most cases of PAD.
• Atrial Fibrillation: Atrial fibrillation is a type of irregular heart beat, which increases the risk of stroke 5 times. Using a quick and painless screening test, we can measure your heart rhythm and check for atrial fibrillation. 
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: An aneurysm is an abnormal ballooning or enlargement of a blood vessel. When the aneurysm reaches approximately five (5) centimeters, it is at high risk for rupture.
  
  The USPTF (U.S. Preventive Task Force) recommends any male 65 and older who has ever smoked be screened of aortic abdominal aneurysm.
  
  Life Line Screening® uses ultrasound technology to determine the presence of an aneurysm on the aorta.

Review Your Risk Factors
Let's start by reviewing the risk factors for heart and vascular disease. Chances are good that you or someone you know meets at least one of these criteria:

• Smoking, even if you have quit within the past year
• High blood pressure 
• Diabetes or pre-diabetes
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Obese or overweight
• High cholesterol
• Has parents or siblings who had a heart attack, heart failure, bypass surgery, or heart procedure

Are you at risk? Click here to take the Southwest HeartCheck quiz.

Hardened and clogged arteries keep blood from flowing to your heart and throughout your body, leading to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Knowing how your heart works helps to understand what happens when disease destroys your arteries. Click here to learn more about the human heart.

Disclaimer: The Life Line Screening® package provides screenings for risk factors or symptoms of heart and vascular disease, and the results do not constitute a complete diagnosis. Counseling and/or a referral, not treatment, will occur.