Free heart screenings for St. Petersburg youth aim to prevent sudden cardiac arrest

A Florida nonprofit is providing free heart screenings for young people in St Petersburg this weekend. The event, organized by Who We Play For, will check adolescents aged 10 to 25 for hidden heart conditions, including cardiac arrest. These screenings come as part of broader efforts to tackle sudden cardiac arrest in youth.

The screenings will run from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Galen College of Nursing. Each participant will receive a quick, non-invasive ECG test lasting around five minutes. Boys and girls will be screened in separate areas for privacy.

Florida recently passed The Second Chance Act, requiring all student athletes to undergo heart screenings, including checks for cardiac arrest, before joining tryouts or practices. The law targets sudden cardiac arrest, which kills roughly 23,000 young people in the US each year. Before this act, no statewide rules existed to address adolescent heart health, including cardiac arrest, in Florida.

Sudden cardiac arrest can strike without warning, often due to undetected heart defects. Research shows that 1 in 300 young people carries a life-threatening heart condition. An ECG can spot these issues early, potentially saving lives.

Organizers strongly advise pre-registering for the event. Walk-in patients may not be accepted due to limited capacity.

The free screenings aim to identify hidden heart risks, including cardiac arrest, before they become emergencies. With new state laws in place, more young athletes will now receive essential checks. Early detection through ECGs could help reduce sudden cardiac deaths in Florida.