At Edmonds Woodway High School, 469 students were screened for possible heart conditions to help prevent sudden cardiac arrest, the leading cause of death in young athletes on the playing field.

The nonprofit Nick of Time Foundation organized the Feb. 6 event with 108 volunteers from local hospitals, fire departments and other community groups.

“This is the kind of event I strongly support because the screenings can identify a previously undetected heart condition and help a student avoid sudden cardiac arrest,” says one of the event volunteers, Gregg Miller, MD, Medical Director at Swedish/Edmonds Emergency Department.

“Most of the students I examined did not have risky heart conditions so the athlete and parents were relieved and appreciated the peace of mind we were able to provide.”

As a result of the screenings, follow-ups with a physician were recommended for 15 students with elevated blood pressure, 10 students with family medical history or secondary symptoms and two students for immediate follow-up.

Screenings consisted of a Heart Health Survey asking about possible signs and symptoms or family history of a heart condition. ECGs were performed that analyze the electrical signals of the heart.

All children received limited physical exams and in some cases they had an echocardiogram.

Cardiologists and sports physicians experienced in heart screenings reviewed the results on site.