The annual Healthy Heart Expo was sponsored by the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center. Over 20 employees from several hospital departments and outside organizations made sure everything went smoothly. Participants took advantage of health screenings including breathing function, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, glucose and carotid artery ultrasound.  A lipid profile cholesterol screening was offered for a small fee.

Exhibitors had information on cancer, nutrition, exercise/fitness, pulmonology testing, smoking cessation, and diabetes among others. Roni Mudd from the Grayson County Health Department was on hand to show people the effects smoking has on their health and provided information on how to stop smoking for those interested.

The biggest drawing point for many people was the free carotid ultrasound test. Carotid ultrasound is a quick and painless test that creates pictures of the insides of the two large arteries in your neck. These arteries, called carotid arteries, supply your brain with oxygen-rich blood. Carotid ultrasound shows whether a substance called plaque - made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood - has narrowed your carotid arteries. Plaque builds up on the insides of your arteries as people age and cause a narrowing that may deprive your brain of the blood it needs or the plaque can break off and block smaller arteries in you brain causing a stroke. Approximately 50% of the 85 people scanned at the Expo had some amount of plaque.

The hospital was pleased with the event, according to Robin Embry, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at TLRMC. “The turnout was great and people appreciated what the staff was doing for them.” Having the Expo on the hospital campus made it easier on the staff according to Embry. “In the past we have had to drive equipment and people to the Expo. It was much more convenient to have it at the hospital.” Good weather, a problem for the Heart Expo in the past, may have contributed to the large turnout.

Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center plans on holding the annual event again in early 2011 as part of the hospital’s 60th anniversary. “Events like the Heart Expo fit into our mission of improving the quality of life for the people we serve,” said Embry. “We are pleased to be able to offer events like this to the community.”

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Stacey White and Dr. Muhammad Gondal prepare a participant to take a pulmonary function (breathing) test at the Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center’s Healthy Heart Expo. The test was one of the free screenings provided at the annual event.
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Roni Mudd from the Grayson County Health Department shows LaVerne and Glenn Bratcher of Leitchfield her “tar jar”. The jar represents the amount of tar that accumulates in the lungs of a smoker over the course of a year. Mudd had information on the advantages of stop smoking and different methods people can use to obtain that goal. 
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Debbie Small takes a small amount of blood to test for blood glucose levels from a participant at the TLRMC Healthy Heart Expo. 95 area residents took advantage of information and screenings to help decrease their chances of developing heart disease and other health related issues.