Life Line Screenings

Partnership to Promote Healthier Communities

North Florida Regional Healthcare and Life Line Screening Will Work Together

North Florida Regional Healthcare is partnering with Life Line Screening, the nation’s largest provider of preventive screenings, to stop stroke and hip fractures in their tracks. Screening can identify risk factors that lead to stroke or fractures before these disabling or deadly events occur. Upcoming screenings are scheduled in Gainesville, Palatka, Lake City and Perry, Florida.

Upcoming Screenings

• March 3, 2011 (9:00AM to 5:00PM)
  St. Madeleine Catholic Church
  17155 NW US Highway 441
  High Springs, FL 32643
• March 8, 2011 (9:00AM to 5:00PM)
  First Baptist Church of Chiefland
  511 N. Young Blvd.
  Chiefland, FL 32626
• March 30, 2011 (9:00AM to 5:00PM)
  Oak Park Baptist Church
  4610 SW Archer Rd
  Gainesville, FL 32608
• April 4, 2011 (9:00AM to 5:00PM)
  Seventh-day Adventist
  2115 NW 39th Avenue
  Gainesville, FL 32605
• April 19, 2011 (9:00AM to 5:00PM)
  Unity of Gainesville Church
  8801 NW 39th Ave.
  Gainesville, FL 32606
• May 16, 2011 (9:00AM to 5:00PM)
  Loyal Order of Moose
  3875 Reid St
  Palatka, FL 32177

A special Wellness Package of all four screenings is available for only $149. The whole process takes less than an hour. To pre-register for a screening contact Life Line Screening at www.lifelinescreening.com or call 1-800-690-0295 to make an appointment.

Screenings Offered

Carotid Artery Screening – painless, non-invasive Doppler ultrasound is used to visualize the carotid arteries, the arteries that bring blood to the brain. The majority of strokes are caused by plaque build up in these arteries.

Atrial Fibrillation Screening (Afib) – An ECG machine is used to identify this irregular heart rhythm. During Afib, the blood may not pump out of the heart completely and can pool in the heart chambers, forming a clot. This clot may then travel to the brain where it can cause a stroke or travel elsewhere to block the arteries to the arms, legs, kidneys or other organs. Individuals with atrial fibrillation have a five-fold increased risk of stroke.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening – Ultrasound is used to visualize the abdominal aorta to measure the diameter of the aorta. This measurement can indicate if there is a weakening in the aortic wall which can cause a ballooning effect known as an aneurysm. Aneurysms can burst, which generally is fatal.

Peripheral Arterial Disease Screening – PAD is also known as “hardening of the arteries.” Sufferers have a 4 to 6-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Risk is evaluated through a measurement called the “Ankle-Brachial Index,” which is obtained by reading the systolic pressure in the ankle and arm.

Osteoporosis Screening – Ultrasound is used to estimate the bone density of the heel. This can indicate if there is a reduction in bone density, which may indicate the presence of osteoporosis. The heel is used because it is similar in composition to the hip, where disabling fractures often occur.