In June, Shore Health System will host the services of Life Line Screening, the nation’s largest provider of community-based preventive screenings. The screenings help identify the risk of stroke, vascular disease and osteoporosis. The event is open to the public and will be held on Thursday, June 18, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at The Memorial Hospital at Easton, 219 S. Washington Street in Easton, in the Nick Rajacich Health Education Center. Screenings will be available again on Tuesday, June 23, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Dorchester General Hospital, 300 Bryn Street in Cambridge.

Life Line Screening is designed to uncover medical conditions which are considered silent killers because they often strike without warning. Symptoms are rarely present and, if they are, they are generally subtle, almost unnoticeable. A simple screening may prevent death or disability.

Screenings that are available at the two Shore Health System events include:
• Carotid artery screening using painless, non-invasive Doppler ultrasound 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.

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening using ultrasound to visualize and measure the abdominal aorta. This measurement can indicate if there is a weakening in the aortic wall, which can cause a ballooning effect known as an aneurysm. When aneurysms burst, they can be fatal.

• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) screening to check for hardening of the arteries. Sufferers of PAD have a four- 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.

• Osteoporosis screening using ultrasound to estimate the bone density of the heel. The heel is used because it is similar in composition to the hip, where disabling fractures often occur.

• Atrial fibrillation screening to detect an irregular heart beat (arrhythmia) that affects the atria – the upper chambers of the heart – and is the most common form of sustained arrhythmia. Two and a half million Americans have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and for those over age 40, there is a one in four chance of developing the condition.

Pre-registration for a Lifeline Screening is required. For more information and to register, call 1-800-779-6353 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com.