Heart Screening Offered to PGA Tour Players at Southern Farm Bureau Classic

Contact: Robby Channell, 601-968-5135 rchannell@mbhs.org

Jackson, Miss. – October 31, 2005 - Baptist, Cardiovascular Associates, PA, and Medtronic, Inc. will offer a free heart screening for PGA Tour players participating in this year’s Southern Farm Bureau Classic. This free screening will include: electrocardiogram (EKG), heart risk assessment, cholesterol testing, blood pressure screening, and a brief cardiologist physical examination. It will be held on site at Annandale in Madison, Miss. Located in the Medtronic mobile unit parked adjacent to the Club House, the screenings will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, November 1 and 2.

For the past nine years, Baptist has provided first aid services during the tournament. "There have been a few noted cardiovascular issues during past SFBC tournaments. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. As touring professionals with a hectic schedule, the PGA Tour players’ ability to effectively evaluate their risks for heart disease may be limited," said Baptist Vice President of Clinical and Ambulatory Services Steve Jackson.

Baptist Heart Services, a division of Baptist Health Systems, offers a low-cost Every Day, Heart Day screening for the community. Baptist is offering this screening in partnership with Cardiovascular Associates, PA and Medtronic, Inc. free to the PGA Tour players.

Cardiovascular Associates, PA, (CVA) is a group of cardiologists and clinical staff delivering cardiovascular care to people in Mississippi. Physicians from CVA will be on-hand to provide brief physicals and read EKGs.

Medtronic, Inc. is a global leader in medical technology with products and therapies for treatment of heart disease. Medtronic will provide an 18-wheeler to conduct the heart screening wellness program. This unit serves as Medtronic’s Mobile Training Facility and travels the country.

Baptist clinicians will be on-hand to administer the heart tests. "With specially trained staff in cardiac care, Baptist offers a full range of cardiovascular services, from educational programs in preventive care and highly advanced treatment options, to rehabilitation," Jackson added. "Having these organizations partner with us completed the package we needed to provide a mobile, easy way to screen the PGA Tour players’ cardiovascular disease risks on-site,” added Jackson. “We all wanted to help preempt any problems the members may experience.”

FACTS ABOUT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (Source: American Heart Association):

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) …

• One in four males has some form of cardiovascular disease.
• In 2002 cardiovascular disease caused the deaths of 433,825 males and 493,623 females. These data are preliminary. Males represent 46.8 percent of deaths from CVD. Cancer killed 288,768 males in 2002.
• The 2002 overall preliminary death rate from CVD was 320.5. Death rates were 373.8 for white males and 492.5 for black males.
• In 2002 cardiovascular disease was the first listed diagnosis of 3,209,000 males discharged from short-stay hospitals. Discharges include people both living and dead.

ABOUT CARDIOVASCULAR ASSOCIATES, PA
Cardiovascular Associates, PA, an 11-physician specialty practice, has provided diagnosis and treatment of all forms of cardiovascular disease through affiliations at three metro-area hospitals and two Jackson-area offices for over 25 years. All physicians are board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine/Cardiovascular Disease. Additionally, sub-specialists are certified in Interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Electrophysiology, and CVA maintains nationally accredited nuclear and echocardiography laboratories.

ABOUT MEDTRONIC, INC.
Medtronic is the global leader in medical technology- alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world. With deep roots in the treatment of heart disease, Medtronic now provides a wide range of products and therapies - every six seconds, somewhere in the world, a person’s life is saved or improved by a Medtronic product or therapy. Earl E. Bakken and Palmer J. Hermundslie founded the organization in 1949 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Medtronic does business in more than 120 countries. Medtronic World Headquarters is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Regional Headquarters include Switzerland and Japan.

ABOUT BAPTIST HEALTH SYSTEMS
Baptist Health Systems is the parent company of Baptist Medical Center and a number of related healthcare services and programs. From its beginnings in 1911, Baptist has grown to include a 649-bed medical center, along with a variety of health and medical services for people in every stage of life. A 15-member volunteer board of trustees, consisting of top-echelon leaders in business, medicine, clergy and other fields guides Baptist Health Systems. Baptist's mission is to serve the community through continuously improving quality medical care and effective use of education and technology in a personal and compassionate environment. Through the decades, Baptist has continued to provide quality, compassionate Christian-based medical care to the people of Mississippi and surrounding states. Visit Baptist on the web at www.mbhs.org. For more information contact the Baptist Health Line at 1-800-948-6262 or 601-948-6262.

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