Avon, CO – The Avon Recreation Department is pleased to continue with the Free Cardiac Disease Screenings program which is available to the pulic on Friday, February 21 starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m. "We have been working with the Vail Valley Medical Center on this wonderful program for the past several years, and it has been a tremendous success and benefit to the community. We look forward to continuing this program well into the future,” said Danita Dempsey, Special Event Supervisor for the Town of Avon.

Vail Valley Medical Center received a Cancer, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease grant from Denver Health and Colorado Prevention Center to conduct FREE screens of uninsured and underinsured Eagle County resident for cholesterol, blood sugars, blood pressure, and body mass index to assess for cardiovascular risk. Test results include total cholesterol, breakdown of HDL, LDL, sugar levels, triglycerides, height and weight, and blood pressure. Results are immediate and will be discussed between you and the Community Health Advocate.

This program is offered on a first-come-first serve basis and individual consultation will take approximately 20 minutes. Participants should remember to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water the day before and fasting 10-12 hours prior to the screening as this will provide more accurate results.

Eagle County Public Health conducted a needs assessment of Eagle County residents in 2005 with multiple community partners. Despite being noted as a “healthy” County, the assessment revealed the number one cause of death among Eagle County residents was cardiovascular disease (CVD).

CVD is caused by risk factors such as diabetes, smoking, overweight/obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy could be increased by seven years if all forms of cardiovascular disease were eliminated.

For additional information on the free blood screenings, please contact Claudia Hilty at (970) 471-3258.