Ochsner Teams Up with CHS Athletics: Good News for a Great City

    Hypertrophic CardioMyopathy, or HCM, is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.  It is a disease of the heart muscle that goes undetected in a normal physical exam.  Central's Allison Porche has been instrumental in bringing together Ochsner Hospital and the CHS Athletic Department to arrange testing to detect this condition in Central's athletes.  Beginning July 22nd and 23rd and continuing as needed into the following weekend, Ochner will be offering voluntary Echocardigrams to CHS athletes.

    An Echocardiogram is a test of the heart that normally costs $700, but will be made available for a $20 registration fee at Central High.  This effort is being coordinated by Central's coaching staff and is headed up by trainer Coach Bryan Hutson.  The coaches will work with the teams that will first see athletic competition this fall, such as Cross Country, Football and Volleyball.  After this first wave of testing, athletes in sports beginning later in the school year will be offered to participate.  Thanks goes out to Ochsner, Allison Porche, Coach Hutson, and the entire CHS Athletic Department and School Administration for helping make this possible.