Annual Heart Expo Offers $5 Blood Tests and Free Expert Lectures

On Saturday, March 7^th, during the annual Heart Weekend, the International Heart Institute of Montana will hold their 17^th Heart Expo in Missoula. This heart expo offers attendees the opportunity to receive blood tests and learn from expert lectures. KGVO News spoke with Timothy Descamps, Executive Director of the International Heart Institute of Montana, to learn more about the upcoming event.

“[There will be] a blood draw where you can get your lipid panel and cholesterol tested for a low, nominal rate of five dollars. We also offer some other blood work you can do. It’s a wonderful way to do an annual check on the state of your health, and also to learn about different ways you can improve your health. We have some wonderful lectures given by our physicians and providers, and they will spend the morning going over some little things that you might find helpful.”

Descamps says that about a thousand people attend the event each year, with some even coming in from surrounding states.

“People do drive from all over Montana to come to this, and especially to listen to our physicians--who are experts in their particular field--talk about health surgery or pacers,” Descamps said about the event.

“If you’re in the catheter lab or need a stent, these are the doctors you want to listen to. This year we will be focusing on women’s heart health, and we’ll be talking about the different ways that heart disease might affect women in particular.”

The blood draws will begin at 6:30 AM on March 7^th, with additional health screenings beginning at 7 AM and expert lectures beginning at 8 AM. Lectures are free and open to the public, and health screenings start at $5.

The Expo will be held on the first floor of the Broadway Building Conference Center at 500 W. Broadway in Missoula. To learn more about the event, visit the 2020 Heart Expo webpage here.