Contact: Nicole Napoli, nnapoli@acc.org, 202.375.6523

WASHINGTON (Feb. 14, 2012) — Through its CardioSmart patient initiative, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) is collaborating with hospitals nationwide to offer free heart health screenings to local residents. The ACC's CardioSmart Initiative is a patient-centered program that encourages patients to play an active role in their own heart health.

"To reduce their risk of heart disease, people need to learn what the risk factors are, know their individual numbers associated with those risks and know how to improve those numbers if needed," said CardioSmart Chief Medical Expert JoAnne M. Foody, MD, FACC. "Lifestyle changes, like eating healthy and being active, that are implemented today can make a measurable difference in a person’s risk for heart disease in the future."

In each screening location, CardioSmart educational materials will be available and nurses will be on hand to offer body mass index measurements, glucose (non-fasting) level testing, cholesterol tests, blood pressure tests and waist circumference measurements. Participants will also have the opportunity to speak with a local cardiologist.

Health screenings will be held in the following hospitals:

• Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis
• Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Miss.
• Oschner Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans
• St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston
• Stony Brook Medical Center in Stony Brook, N.Y.
• University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami
• University of South Florida Health Morsani Center for Advanced Health Care in Tampa, Fla.
• University of South Florida Health South Tampa Center for Advance Health Care in Tampa, Fla.

For more information on CardioSmart, visit www.CardioSmart.org.

The mission of the American College of Cardiology is to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health. The College is a 43,000-member medical society comprised of physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The ACC provides professional education, operates national registries to measure and improve quality of care, disseminates cardiovascular research, and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more information, visit www.cardiosource.org/ACC.

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