The popular Heart Expo is this Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Broadway Building at St. Patrick Hospital.

The Heart Expo is presented each year by the International Heart Institute. Executive Director Tim Descamps said this year's event is entitled 'Caring For Your Heart - Shaping The Future Today'.

"The expo is an opportunity for you to get some simple blood tests taken with no appointment necessary, people can come in right off the street," Descamps said. "We have a lipid - glucose test for five dollars, a prostate test for ten dollars and a thyroid test for ten dollars. We do ask that you fast for 12 hours before the test. It is cash or check only."

Descamps said there are several lectures and displays available to help attendees with important health information.

"We'll have 25 booths that will provide information about heart health," he said. "At the same time there are lectures by our physicians at the heart institute starting at 8:00 a.m. with information about what's going on in the field of cardiology and cardiac medicine that will conclude at 11:30 a.m."

Descamps shared a little inside information about the Heart Expo, after 14 years of experience.

"I'll tell your listeners," he said. "The secret is that we actually start taking blood at 6:30 a.m. because people get there by 6:00 a.m. and start lining up. We're actually all set up and ready to go by 6:30 a.m. It's remarkable that the test results will be out within the day and we'll mail you the results within a few days. We'll have between 75 and 80 people staffing the Heart Expo and it's one of our most popular events of the year."

St. Patrick Hospital was recently chosen as one of the 50 top cardiovascular hospitals in the U.S.

Refreshments will be served to visitors following the screenings.

 

More From Newstalk KGVO 1290 AM & 98.3 FM