Skip to content

Mobile heart-screening service now available in Central Alberta

Lacombe man helping to raise awareness of heart health
23634lacombeexpressCHCSpicatAbCoftable
HEART HEALTH- A digital pulse-wave analysis machine (DPA) can be used to assess factors in heart health.

BY KALISHA MENDONSA

A local man has taken it upon himself to help Lacombe and area residents raise awareness of their heart health through providing a mobile heart-screening program service.

Landon Ritchey has taken training as a DPA practitioner, which means he is capable of using and interpreting a digital pulse-wave analysis machine that works to measure different factors of heart health.

The DPA device is used to measure the elasticity of small and large arteries which in turn provides information on heart health and blood movement. Ritchey explained that although he is not a doctor, this information is recognized as being helpful in terms of identifying potential issues to then speak with a medical professional about.

“In researching the issue of heart disease and healthy heart prevention, I wanted to see if there was a way to get information before there were significant problems and that’s where I found the DPA,” Ritchey explained.

Ritchey completed certifications to operate the machine and to learn how to interpret the results. Now, he is offering to travel to various Central Alberta locations to perform the service and give people a heads-up on their hearth health.

“I’ve written several exams to be able to operate the machine and to have enough background on heart health and cardiovascular systems to interpret the results accurately,” he said.

He has made arrangements with certain health stores and fitness centres across Central Alberta, including Nutters in Red Deer, Total Health in Eckville, The Health Hut in the Lacombe Centre Mall and the Gwen Bader Fitness Centre at Burman University and more in order to have spaces to perform the DPA tests.

From there, clients are able to take the results back to their regular health professional and see if there are additional steps needed to be taken to help improve their heart health.

“I’m not trying to attempt to be a physician. I’m a digital pulse analyst. I don’t know all the intricacies of the heart, but if I see something that doesn’t look quite right based on my knowledge and training, the very first thing I’ll do is recommend the client goes to see their physician for further study,” he emphasized.

“I’m just trying to prevent heart disease. If I can see something in my nine different read-outs that come from the machine, it could potentially help someone stay or get healthy.”

As he said, the machine measures nine parameters that help to determine a grade on a person’s cardiovascular system. Those parameters are: ECG type reading, echo type reading, circulation analysis, arterial elasticity, pulse height, pulse rate and biological age. The results are then rated from A to G, with ‘A’ indicating excellent heart health and ‘G’ representing a severe risk of heart attack or stroke.

“You can determine the age of your heart and arteries against your chronological age and see if there is something to be learned there. If you are 30, but your heart age is closer to 60, or vice-versa, you can take that information to a doctor and see your next steps.

“If you’ve ever thought to yourself, ‘I should take a look at my heart health and maybe do something about that’, I am here. The service is here, and it’s non-invasive and painless.”

To book an appointment, contact Ritchey at 403-341-0698 or email cleanhearteries@gmail.com.

kmendonsa@lacombeexpress.com