Onvida Health to give heart screenings to teens

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A local hospital is hosting an event to prevent heart issues and early deaths among teenagers.

Onvida Health will be offering heart screenings to Yuma County High School students on Saturday at Kofa High School from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The goal is detect any heart problem and start treatment right away.

"We've done this before, and we have found significant problems in teenagers with heart problems such as defects in their hearts holes and heart rhythm disturbances. They do not know they have this problem, we were able to catch it on time and treat them on time. This way they don't have to deal with threatened complications such as heart failures or early death in their future," said Evren Kaynak, Onvida Health Cardiovascular Services Medical Director.

Onvida Health expects to screen around 500 students during the event.