Teen Heart Expo Flags Cardiac Concerns in 41 North Eugene Students

Nearly half the students who rolled up their sleeves at North Eugene High School's free Teen Heart Screening and Health Expo on Feb. 20 left with a referral in hand. Of the 96 students ages 9 to 19 who were screened, 41 were flagged for previously undetected concerns related to blood pressure, heart rate, or family history, and five of those were sent directly to a cardiologist.

The daylong event was led by the Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute's Chest Pain Program at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, in partnership with Oregon Cardiology and a nurse practitioner from the PeaceHealth/Eugene School District 4J school-based health center already located on North Eugene's campus. Pediatric cardiologist Dr. Misty Carlson of Oregon Cardiology conducted screenings and reviewed each student's cardiac history and blood pressure readings alongside 50 volunteers who staffed the expo.

The screening caught conditions that routine sports physicals routinely miss. Standard pre-participation exams do not include EKGs and rarely include a structured review of family cardiac history, the types of assessments that can surface arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and elevated blood pressure in otherwise asymptomatic teenagers. The five students referred to cardiology will likely need an echocardiogram or extended cardiac monitoring, evaluations that at PeaceHealth are available to patients regardless of ability to pay, according to the health system's patient financial services policy.

The event was made possible by a $50,000 grant from the Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation, supported by a gift from Oregon Community Credit Union (OCCU). The same grant funded the purchase of automated external defibrillators for sites across Lane County where youth community sports are held. HSI contributed funding for the EKG machine used during the screenings, and Oregon CPR donated tables for the exam stations.

The program itself is a relaunch. The teen heart screening effort at North Eugene was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation grant was specifically designated to revive and expand it, with the aim of eventually offering screenings, support, and care options students can access during the school day. The North Eugene Health Center, staffed by PeaceHealth pediatrics, currently offers same-day appointments for illness and physicals and serves as the on-campus access point for the 4J district.

For families whose students were flagged, the next step is contacting their primary care provider or the North Eugene Health Center directly. Those referred to a cardiologist should expect a call from Oregon Cardiology to schedule. Families without insurance or with coverage gaps can reach PeaceHealth Patient Financial Services at (541) 222-7007 to discuss payment plans and financial assistance before their child's first cardiology appointment.