Ex-NFL players to take part in heart screenings at UCSF on August 18

* WHAT:
Former National Football League players will be screened for heart disease at the UCSF Medical Center. The event is in conjunction with a national program by the Living Heart Foundation to call attention to heart disease in general and the specific cardiovascular challenges of athletes.

* MEDIA:
Members of the media are invited to cover the event and interview players, their doctors and team coaches.

* WHEN:
Saturday, August 18, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

* WHERE:
UCSF Medical Office Building, check in at desk in main lobby
350 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco (between Hill Point and Hillway avenues)

* INTERVIEW & PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES:
Cardiologists and retired NFL players, including 49ers defensive back Darryl Pollard, 49ers offensive tackle William “Bubba” Paris, Hall-of-Fame Charger Ron Mix, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Michael Merriweather and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Benny Barnes. Players will undergo a series of tests, including electrocardiograms, carotid artery ultrasounds, coronary CTA scans, blood tests and other analyses.

* CONTACT:
Media should contact Kristen Bole, UCSF News Office, 415-476-2557. On the day of the event, please call cell phone 415-608-2102.

* DETAILS:
The Living Heart Foundation was founded by former NFL quarterback and heart surgeon Arthur “Archie” Roberts, MD, after suffering a stroke, to draw attention to the cardiovascular risks found among professional athletes and football players with large body mass. The results will be part of a three-year study of heart disease among 1,200 former football players. The program also is supported by the NFL Players Association.

* ABOUT UCSF:
UCSF is a leading university that advances health worldwide by conducting advanced biomedical research, educating graduate students in the life sciences and health professions, and providing complex patient care.