ASHLAND, Ky. — King’s Daughters is providing free healthy heart screenings beginning at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at the Ashland Town Center mall, 500 Winchester Ave.

The screenings are being offered in conjunction with the mall’s annual health fair. No appointment is required.

The screening includes total cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and blood oxygen levels. It is sponsored by King’s Daughters in cooperation with the Kentucky Heart Foundation. Fasting is not required. A King’s Daughters cardiologist will review screening results.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for more than 34 percent of all deaths annually. An American dies of cardiovascular disease every 38 seconds, according to the American Heart Association.

An EKG is a test that checks for problems with the electrical activity of the heart. It also is used to check the health of the heart, especially when conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes are present.

The screening is recommended for persons age 50 and older, as well as those younger than 50 with risk factors, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Additional screening criteria may apply, which allow us to see those at greatest risk for heart disease.

KDMC is a locally controlled, not-for-profit, 465-bed regional referral center, offering comprehensive cardiac, vascular, medical, surgical, maternity, pediatric, rehabilitative, psychiatric, cancer, neurological, pain care, wound care and home care services. For additional information, visit us online at kdmc.com or call 1-888-377-KDMC (5362).