Free Public Event to Feature Educational Program on Heart Health and Free Health Screenings

BALTIMORE, April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), in partnership with six leading cardiovascular professional and patient organizations, today announced a free heart health event for patients with heart disease and their families. The event, "Heart Smarts: What Every Heart Patient Should Know," will feature presentations by distinguished cardiologists and heart attack survivors, including local news personalities Jennifer Donelan (ABC7/WJLA-TV) and C. Bruce Johnson (CBS9/WUSA-TV9). This event is part of SCAI's "Know What Counts" program, a series of regional events designed to inform the public about cardiovascular and health care issues.

The program will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 7 at the Hilton Baltimore, and will include free noninvasive blood pressure and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) screenings for the public from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., provided by the University of Maryland Medical Center. Patients, healthcare professionals, and others interested in cardiovascular health are invited and welcome to attend.

"Our goal for this educational session is to ensure Marylanders impacted by heart disease recognize and understand how to be their best health advocates and evaluate whether they are receiving quality cardiovascular care," said Christopher J. White, M.D., FSCAI, SCAI president-elect and chairman of the department of cardiology at Ochsner Medical Center and director of the Ochsner Heart & Vascular Institute. "This event will help patients and the public take a more active role in their heart health, such as making decisions with their cardiologists about the best treatment plan for them."

The program, developed and co-sponsored by SCAI, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), the Maryland chapter of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), Mended Hearts, Sister to Sister: The Women's Heart Health Foundation, the University of Maryland Medical Center and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, will –

• feature patient testimonials,
• outline life-saving tips and strategies for heart attacks and overall heart health,
• discuss ways patients can proactively manage their heart care, and
• delineate how patients can evaluate whether they are receiving quality cardiovascular care.

Dr. White, co-chair of the event, will be one of several notable speakers, including:

• Jennifer Donelan, ABC7/WJLA-TV reporter and heart attack survivor
• C. Bruce Johnson, CBS9/WUSA-TV9 reporter and anchor, author and heart attack survivor
• John P. Reilly, MD, FSCAI, Associate Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Ochsner Medical Center
• Marilyn Smedberg-Gobbett, WomenHeart Champion and heart disease survivor
• Robert Vogel, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of Clinical Vascular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine  and Maryland Heart Center

In 2007, more than 11,300 people in Maryland died from heart disease, accounting for approximately one-fourth of all deaths in the state. Just as heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States, it is also the number one cause of death for Maryland residents. In 2006, it was estimated more than 80 million people in the U.S. had one or more forms of heart disease. A study completed by The World Health Organization (WHO) found by the year 2030, nearly 23.6 million people will die each year as a result of cardiovascular disease.

"It's important right now to bring together Maryland patients, caregivers, physicians, policymakers and community health leaders for a vigorous discussion on cardiovascular heart health," said Dr. Reilly, who will co-direct the Heart Smarts program. "This program will be an opportunity to equip patients with the tools and information necessary to take charge of their heart health and be more informed health consumers."

Media may register for the event by contacting Kathy Boyd David at [email protected]. Members of the public interested in more information or in attending the free events may register at http://www.SCAI.org/KWC or by calling 800-992-7224.

About SCAI

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions is a 4,000-member professional organization representing invasive and interventional cardiologists in more than 70 nations. SCAI's mission is to promote excellence in invasive and interventional cardiovascular medicine through physician education and representation, and advancement of quality standards to enhance patient care. SCAI's annual meeting has become the leading venue for education, discussion, and debate about the latest developments in this dynamic medical specialty. SCAI's patient and physician education program, Seconds Count, offers comprehensive information about cardiovascular disease. For more information about SCAI and Seconds Count, visit www.scai.org or www.seconds-count.org.

About ABC

The Association of Black Cardiologists is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to eliminating disparities related to cardiovascular care for people of color. Founded in 1974, and fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, the Association has a national and international membership of 2,500 health professionals, Community Health Advocates (lay community member), corporate and institutional members who are making a health impact on communities across the nation.

About ACC – Maryland Chapter

The Maryland Chapter of the American College of Cardiology represents over 650 cardiologists and 100 cardiac care team members in the state of Maryland. The Chapter's mission is to promote optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention through public and professional education, promotion of research, leadership in the development of standards and guidelines and the formulation of health care policy.

About Mended Hearts

Mended Hearts is a community-based, nationwide heart patient support network founded in 1951. More than 18,400 members operate through 300 chapters and satellite organizations across the U.S., with two chapters in Canada. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience, Mended Hearts partners with 460 hospitals and rehabilitation clinics offering heart patient support through visiting programs, group meetings and educational forums. The Mended Hearts mission is "dedicated to inspiring hope in heart disease patients and their families." To locate a chapter call 1-888-432-7899 or visit www.mendedhearts.org.

About Sister to Sister: The Women's Heart Health Foundation

The Sister to Sister Foundation was established in 1999 to prevent heart disease in women through cardiovascular screenings, education and behavioral change. Sister to Sister has provided more than 80,000 free heart health screenings and counseling interventions while educating more than 200,000 women at heart health fairs across the country.

About University of Maryland Medical Center

The University of Maryland Medical Center is a 757-bed teaching hospital in downtown Baltimore that provides a full range of health care to people from throughout Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region. It is a referral center for the most serious and complicated health problems in adults and children, including cancer, trauma, heart disease, neurological conditions and organ transplants. All members of the UMMC medical staff are on the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

About WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is the nation's only patient-centered organization serving the 42 million American women living with or at risk for heart disease – the number one killer of women. WomenHeart is solely devoted to advancing women's heart health through advocacy, community education, and the nation's only patient support network for women living with heart disease. WomenHeart is both a coalition and a community of thousands of members nationwide, including women heart patients and their families, physicians, and health advocates, all committed to helping women live longer, healthier lives. For more information and to get a free heart health activation kit, visit www.womenheart.org/kit.

SOURCE Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions