Life Line Screening Nov. 29

Residents living in and around the Washington, Ga. community can be screened to reduce their risk of having a stroke or a serious bone fracture. Life Line Screening will be at Washington Church of God on November 29. The site is located at 1365 Tignall Road in Washington. Appointments will begin at 10:00 a.m.

A stoke, also known as a "brain attack," is ranked as the third leading killer in the world, and the leading cause of nursing home admissions. Stroke often occurs without warning. The good news is that painless screening can help identify problems that can lead to stroke before it is too late.

Screenings are fast, painless and low cost. They test for blocked carotid arteries, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and hardening of the arteries in the legs. Bone density screening is also offered to assess the risk of osteoporosis.

These screenings are important because of the silent and often debili- tating nature of the conditions. The majority of strokes are caused by plaque build up in the carotid arteries. The abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the body, and a weakness in the walls of the artery can cause a ballooning called an aneurysm, which can rupture. A ruptured aneurysm is generally fatal. Peripheral arterial disease or PAD is also known as "hardening of the arteries." Sufferers have a 4-6 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.

All four screenings take less than an hour to complete. The cost for a Wellness Package of all four screenings include free osteoporosis

For more information regarding the screenings or to schedule an appointment, call 1-877-237-1287 or visit us on the web at www.lifeline screening.com. Pre-registration is required.