***Free Vascular Screening***

Savannah Vascular and Cardiac Institute has partnered with the Heart Health Foundation to offer the Dare to C.A.R.E. screening program. The Dare to C.A.R.E. program is a free heart and vascular disease education and screening program. ​

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C.A.R.E. stands for: Carotid Artery Disease: a primary cause of preventable strokes. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: ruptured aneurysms cause death in up to 90% of cases. Renal Artery Stenosis: when untreated, frequently leads to the need for hemodialysis. Extremity Artery Disease: affecting up to 12 million Americans, especially those over 50.
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Early stages of these diseases often have no symptoms, and by the time symptoms appear, the diseases may have reached advanced stages that are very hard to treat or are associated with high mortality.

Unlike other screenings, Dare to Care is absolutely free to patients who meet the following criteria: 

Should you be screened? Patients who are at high risk for vascular disease are eligible for a free screening once every five years. The program accepts patients who:

Patients who are 60 and older Patients who are 50 and older who have certain risk factors, such as: Smoking Diabetes Family history of vascular disease (including stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, kidney failure, sudden cardiac death, or abdominal aortic aneurysms) or High cholesterol Patients who are 40 and older with diabetes.

About the Screening* 
During the free screening appointment, standard ultrasound procedures are used to screen the four potential diseases areas (Carotid Artery Disease, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Renal Artery Stenosis, and Extremity Artery Disease). The screening lasts approximately 20 minutes and results will be mailed to the patient and their primary care physician within two weeks of the visit. 

Appointments: To schedule your free screening appointment, PLEASE CALL 912-350-VASC (8272)

About Vascular Disease Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America. Every year, more than 600,000 people die of heart disease -- that’s one out of every four deaths. Unfortunately, the majority of people with this disease are living unaware of their risks. Cardiovascular disease affects the heart and arteries in the body. It is called coronary artery disease (CAD) when the heart is involved and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) when it involves arteries in other parts of the body, such as the arms, legs, kidneys, intestines and brain.