Dr. Erick Avelar, a cardiologist with St. Mary’s Oconee Heart & Vascular Center, will present a public program Monday, Feb. 22, on how new imaging technology is making it easier than ever to prevent heart attacks. The public is invited. 

This Coffee & Conversation program will take place at St. Mary’s Hospital in Assembly Rooms A and B from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., accompanied by coffee and a light breakfast donated by Chick-fil-A Athens. The program is free but registration is required at https://forms.office.com/r/JK9zKr7js4.

February is National Heart Month and Dr. Avelar’s program will help participants understand how advances in CT technology improve early detection of risky plaques by producing images of the inside of the heart’s blood vessels. New CT imaging systems can identify heart attack risks posed by these plaques in minutes. Studies show that computed tomography angiography (CTA) is better at detecting coronary artery plaques than traditional exercise- or nuclear stress tests.

 CTA studies are available with a doctor’s order at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens and St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro.

This event is the first is a new series of programs called Coffee & Conversation. Every other month, St. Mary’s will host a relaxed public program featuring a physician speaking on a topic of general interest. The program is free and all are welcome. Parking passes will be validated. For additional information about this event, visit  https://www.stmaryshealthcaresystem.org/health-and-wellness/classes-and-events/coffee-conversation-speaker-series.