Heart & Vascular Services

Life Line Screenings

Memorial Hermann and Life Line Screening have teamed up to provide vascular screenings to the greater Houston area. As the nation's largest provider of vascular screenings, Life Line screenings help prevent the first and third leading causes of death in the United States – heart disease and stroke.

Screenings can help identify risk factors that lead to stroke and other vascular issues before these events occur. Memorial Hermann is the official presenter of hundreds of screenings throughout the Houston area.

The assessments provided include:

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening
  An ultrasound is used to visualize the abdominal aorta the largest artery in the body, to measure the diameter of the aorta. This measurement can indicate if there is a weakening in the aortic wall which can cause a ballooning effect known as an aneurysm. Aneurysms can burst, which generally is fatal.
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Screening
  PAD is also known as hardening of the arteries. Sufferers have a five- to six-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Risk is evaluated through a measurement called the Ankle-Brachial Index which is obtained by reading the systolic pressure in the ankle and arm.
• Carotid Artery Screening
  This painless, non-invasive Doppler ultrasound is used to visualize the carotid arteries the arteries that bring blood to the brain. The majority of strokes are caused by plaque build up in these arteries.
• Atrial Fibrillation (Heart Rhythm) Screening
  Standard medical ECG (electrocardiograph) equipment is used to detect atrial fibrillation (Afib) the most common "serious" heart rhythm abnormality. Afib increases the risk of stroke 5-fold and can also lead to heart failure or heart attack.
• Complete lipid panel
  A simple finger stick blood test measures 3 different kinds of lipids in the blood – LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. This test requires 8 hours fasting.
• Glucose
  A simple finger stick blood test measures blood sugar levels to assess diabetes risk. This test requires 8 hours fasting.
• High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)
  A simple finger blood test can detect very low levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. CRP is released into the blood in response to the inflammation of blood vessels that accompanies coronary artery disease. CRP levels may be an even better predictor of heart attack or stroke risk than cholesterol levels.

Screenings are held regularly on Memorial Hermann campuses and at various community sites. Vascular screening packages start at $119. Individual tests are as low as $45.