In 2007, the Texas Legislature (Senate Bill 7) allocated $1 million for a statewide study to see whether EKGs – electrocardiograms – and echocardiograms should be mandatory for students. The Children’s Medical Center of Dallas was chosen to conduct the study, along with researchers in Austin and Houston, to investigate the possibility of statewide screening for students.
The state law requires automated external defibrillators to be on school campuses during athletic events and practices. Taking a step further, the study was designed to shed light on how many students might have undiagnosed heart problems. EKGs trace the electrical activity of the heart. Echocardiograms, which use sound waves to create a picture of the heart, are often recommended after abnormal EKG results.
Garland ISD was one Dallas-area school district participating in the study. Dr. Ilana Zeltser, assistant professor of pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a cardiologist at Children's Medical Center, said Garland ISD was a good district to study because of its ethnic diversity. Their target was high schools, with an age range of 12 to 18. Of the 237 students tested in Garland, more than a dozen were advised to follow up with their doctor.