HeartSense

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Addressing healthcare disparities by closing the gap in accessing heart health.
➢ Pop-up screenings
➢ Educational resources
➢ Community-centered

10/29/2026

Did you know that 1 in 4 people worldwide will experience a stroke during their lifetime?

A stroke can happen suddenly and recognizing the warning signs could save a life.

🚨 Remember F.A.S.T.:
F — Face Drooping: Is one side of the face drooping?
A — Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb?
S — Speech Difficulty: Is speech slurred or difficult to understand?
T — Time to Call 911: If you notice any of these signs, call immediately.

When a stroke occurs, every minute matters. Prompt emergency care can reduce brain damage and improve the chances of recovery.

This World Stroke Day, HeartSense joins the global effort to raise awareness, encourage early recognition and empower communities with lifesaving knowledge.

Learn more: https://www.world-stroke.org/world-stroke-day-campaign/world-stroke-day-2026

10/27/2026

One mammogram. Two chances to protect your health.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, we’re sharing something many women may not know: a routine mammogram can sometimes reveal a clue about heart health, too.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., accounting for about 1 in 5 female deaths. Researchers are studying breast arterial calcification (BAC)—calcium in the small arteries of the breast that may appear on a mammogram. BAC isn’t breast cancer, and it doesn’t diagnose heart disease, but it may be associated with future heart health.

At your next mammogram, you can ask, “Did you see any breast arterial calcification?” If BAC is present, talk with your healthcare provider about your overall heart health, including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and family history. Whether or not BAC is seen, keep up with regular checkups.

Know your breasts. Know your heart. Share this with the women you care about.

Learn more: https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/calcium-breast-arteries-predicts-future-cardiovascular-disease

10/22/2026

Our founder, Dr. V. Antoine Keller will speak twice this Saturday, October 24, at the New Orleans Structural Heart Summit. The meeting brings together the cardiologists, heart surgeons, imaging specialists, nurses and cath lab teams who treat heart valve disease.

In the morning, he will talk about choosing the first heart valve for patients who are otherwise at low risk from surgery. Many of these patients will live long enough to need a second valve procedure one day, and some second procedures are much riskier than others. So the first choice should be made with the second one in mind.

In the afternoon, he will share what HeartSense has learned by listening to hearts in our communities. Our trained community health advocates use AI-enabled stethoscopes to check for heart murmurs in about five minutes, at churches, community centers and HBCU campuses. From 2022 to 2025 they screened 2,309 adults. About 1 in 7 had a murmur flagged by the AI, and 4 out of 5 of those people had never been told they had a heart problem. Everyone who screens positive gets help arranging a follow-up heart ultrasound, regardless of insurance.

Finding valve disease early, in every community, is why HeartSense exists.

Dr. Keller is Professor and Chief of Cardiac Surgery at University of Mississippi Medical Center and Founder and President of HeartSense.

📍 New Orleans Structural Heart Summit · Saturday, October 24 · InterContinental New Orleans

10/19/2026

We’re excited to bring HeartSense’s first heart health screening to Alabama! ❤️

Join us this Thursday, October 22, at Successful Aging Initiative’s annual conference in Huntsville. We’re grateful to be included in a day filled with opportunities to connect, learn, and support healthy aging—and we look forward to welcoming the Huntsville community.

📍 Union Chapel M.B. Church
315 Wi******er Rd. NE, Huntsville, AL
🕗 Conference: 7:45 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Heart health screenings will be available as part of the day. Scan the QR code on the flyer to register. We hope to see you there!

Extension at Alabama A&M University

10/09/2026

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, and understanding the difference between these two medical emergencies could help save a life.

Think of your heart as having two essential systems: plumbing and electrical.

🫀 HEART ATTACK — A Plumbing Problem
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked, often by plaque buildup in the coronary arteries. The heart usually continues beating, but the affected muscle is deprived of oxygen.

⚡ SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST — An Electrical Problem
Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart's electrical system malfunctions, causing the heart to suddenly stop pumping blood effectively.

A person may suddenly collapse, become unresponsive, and stop breathing normally. Cardiac arrest can affect people of all ages, including those who appear healthy.

Both are medical emergencies, but they are NOT the same thing.

🚨 Knowing how to respond can save a life. Call 911 immediately if you suspect either emergency. If someone collapses, is unresponsive, and is not breathing normally, begin CPR and use an AED as soon as one is available, following emergency dispatcher instructions.

Source: Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (sca-aware.org)

09/29/2026

❤️ Every heart deserves the chance for a healthier future.

On World Heart Day, HeartSense celebrates the power of education, prevention, and early detection to help people better understand and protect their cardiovascular health.

From knowing your numbers to recognizing when something doesn’t feel right, small steps toward greater heart-health awareness can make a meaningful difference.

Today—and every day—we remain committed to bringing heart health education and screening opportunities directly into the communities we serve.

09/15/2026

🫀Bradycardia: When Your Heart Beats Slower Than Expected

Bradycardia generally refers to a resting heart rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute (bpm) in adults.

But a slower heart rate doesn't always mean something is wrong. People who are physically fit may naturally have a resting heart rate below 60 bpm. In other cases, bradycardia may be related to medications, changes in the heart's electrical system, or an underlying medical condition.

Some people have no symptoms. Others may experience:
💫 Dizziness or lightheadedness
😴 Fatigue or weakness
🫁 Shortness of breath
⚠️ Fainting or near-fainting

The number is only part of the story. Your symptoms, overall health, medications and activity level all matter.

Knowing what's normal for your heart can help you recognize when something has changed.

08/19/2026

Your heart rate naturally speeds up when your body needs more oxygen—during exercise, excitement, stress, or even when you’re fighting an illness.

But what does it mean when your heart is beating fast while you’re at rest?
Tachycardia generally refers to a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute (bpm) at rest in adults.

A faster heart rate can have many causes. Exercise, fever, dehydration, stress, caffeine, certain medications, and other factors can temporarily increase your heart rate. In other cases, tachycardia may be related to an abnormal heart rhythm or an underlying medical condition.

Some people may experience:
⚡ A racing or pounding heartbeat
🫁 Shortness of breath
💫 Dizziness or lightheadedness
❤️ Chest discomfort
😴 Weakness or fatigue
🩺 Or sometimes, no noticeable symptoms at all

The number is only part of the story. Your healthcare provider may also consider when the fast heart rate occurs, how long it lasts, whether the rhythm is regular, your symptoms, and what may be causing it.

08/12/2026

Your heart has its own electrical system that tells it when to beat. A normal sinus rhythm begins in the heart's natural pacemaker—the sinoatrial (SA) node—and keeps the heart beating in a steady, organized pattern.

For most adults at rest, a normal heart rate is generally 60–100 beats per minute (bpm).

But your healthcare provider isn't looking at the number alone. They're also paying attention to whether your heartbeat is regular and consistent.

Your heart rate can naturally change throughout the day. Exercise, stress, sleep, medications, caffeine and other factors can make it speed up or slow down—and that doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong.

Knowing what is normal for you can help you recognize when something feels different.

07/24/2026

Did you know there are different types of heart failure?
Heart failure is not a single condition. It can affect different parts of the heart and develop for different reasons.

❤️ Left-Sided Heart Failure
The left side of the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. This is the most common type of heart failure and includes:

• HFrEF (Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction): The heart muscle becomes weak and cannot pump blood effectively.

• HFpEF (Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction): The heart muscle becomes stiff and cannot relax enough to fill properly between beats.

• HFmrEF (Heart Failure with Mildly Reduced Ejection Fraction): A form of heart failure that falls between HFrEF and HFpEF, sharing characteristics of both.

💙 Right-Sided Heart Failure
The right side of the heart cannot pump blood efficiently to the lungs. This can cause fluid to build up throughout the body, often leading to swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, or abdomen.

💧 Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
Congestive heart failure is a term used when heart failure causes fluid to back up in the lungs or other parts of the body, resulting in congestion and swelling. It is not a separate disease, but rather a description of heart failure with fluid buildup.

Understanding the different types of heart failure can help you better understand your diagnosis and the treatment options available.

Address

P. O Box 53475
Lafayette, LA
70503

Website

http://www.Heart-Sense.org/

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