Blessing Heart & Vascular Center provides no cost cardiac ultrasounds to children age 13-18 to look for two rare, but potentially life-threatening diseases - Marfan syndrome and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy - which are particularly important to detect early in young athletes.

Exam takes less than 10 minutes. Children age 13-18. Child does not have to participate in sports to be eligible for screening. Screening requires written consent from parent or guardian. Parent or guardian should be present for exam. Results interpreted immediately by a cardiologist.

1 in 20,000 young adults suffer from Marfan Syndrome. 1 in 1,000 young adults are affected with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.

Marfan syndrome is a disease that affects the connective tissue. Connective tissue is the most abundant tissue in the body and is a vital component to supporting the body's organs. For people with Marfan syndrome, the chemical makeup of the connective tissue isn't normal and as a result is not as strong as it should be. In the heart, the valves and/or main artery attached to the heart can be affected by Marfan syndrome. The valve leaflets become floppy and do not close tightly, allowing blood to leak backwards across the valve. The aorta may become enlarged and could rupture. An echocardiogram can detect changes in the heart. Marfan syndrome is rare, affecting 1 person in 20,000.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a form of cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle) involving enlargement and thickening of the heart muscle. This enlargement interferes with the function of the heart. This disease is also rare, affecting 1 or 2 in 1,000. In this condition, heart muscle becomes too thick to function properly. It may interfere with the functioning of the heart by reducing the size of the ventricular chamber, and may also reduce the ability of the valves to work properly. The enlargement may, in some circumstances, obstruct the flow of blood out of the heart. Younger people are likely to have a more severe form of the disease, but HOCM may be diagnosed in people of all ages. HOCM is also the most common cause of sudden death in American athletes.

Download the parent consent form for the Marfan syndrome and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy ultrasound screening.