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Free 'Healthy Heart' Screenings at U.S. Wal-Mart Stores and SAM's CLUB Locations Raise Awareness of Heart Disease, the Nation's No. 1 Killer

Posted on: Friday, 27 January 2006, 09:00 CST

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of American Heart Month, Wal-Mart stores and SAM'S CLUB locations nationwide will host the third annual Healthy Heart Community Event on Saturday, February 18. All visitors will be offered complimentary cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, samples of heart-healthy products, and educational information on heart disease. Bayer HealthCare, the maker of Bayer(R) Aspirin, and Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., the maker of Benefiber(R) Fiber Supplement and Boost(R) Nutritional Energy Drink, are the lead sponsors of this event.

The event will be held at U.S. Wal-Mart stores on February 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free health screenings available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. SAM'S CLUB locations will also participate during the same times, offering the event to members and nonmembers. A national health screening company will be on hand to provide cholesterol and blood pressure screenings. No appointment is necessary.

"Cardiovascular disease is the nation's No. 1 killer, and American Heart Month is a great opportunity to educate our customers and members on the steps they can take to a healthier heart," said Art Alderson, Wal-Mart's vice president of pharmacy. "Helping our customers and members manage their health by providing convenient access to the information they need is a priority at Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB. This event will emphasize the steps people can take - learn, evaluate, and live. It's never too late to substantially lower your risk of heart attack or stroke by lowering all risk factors, including blood cholesterol and blood pressure."

An estimated 150,000 people will be screened for heart disease at this year's event. Healthy Heart is one of many healthy living initiatives under the "everyday well-being" umbrella at Wal-Mart stores and SAM'S CLUB locations. Last year, the Healthy Heart Community Event at Wal-Mart stores and SAM'S CLUB locations raised awareness of heart disease among more than 80 million people, with more than 1.9 million shoppers participating in the event nationwide.

In addition to complimentary health screenings, shoppers will have the opportunity to take a personal risk assessment that helps identify risk factors, such as age and gender, family history, and weight. Educational information also will be available, including the 3 Vital Steps, 1 Healthy Heart resource book that discusses early detection and preventative measures.

Coronary heart disease is America's No. 1 cause of death. More than 60 percent of women and 50 percent of men who die suddenly from coronary heart disease show no previous symptoms. To avoid becoming a statistic, prevention is key.

Screening for high blood pressure and high cholesterol are among the first steps to prevent heart disease. According to L. Bell, a participant in last year's Healthy Heart Community Event, "I would like to thank you for detecting my extremely high blood pressure reading. I am now on medicine to bring it under control."

The Wal-Mart Healthy Heart Community Event is supported in part by the following companies and brands: Bayer(R) Aspirin, Benefiber(R) Fiber Supplement, Boost(R) Nutritional Energy Drink, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. BP Success Zone Program, Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, Healthy Choice(R), Egg Beaters(R), Starkist(R), Del Monte Daily(R), SunChips(R) Multigrain Snacks, Splenda(R) No Calorie Sweetener, St. Joseph(R) Low Dose Aspirin, Kellogg's(R) Smart Start(R) Healthy Heart cereals, Kashi(R) Heart to Heart(R) cereals, Quaker(R) Oatmeal, Tropicana Pure Premium(R) Orange Juice, Slim Fast(R) High Protein Chocolate Shake, WhiteWave Foods, 8th Continent(R) Soymilks, Green Giant(R) Frozen Vegetables, Sara Lee, Unilever, Welch's(R) 100% Grape Juice, Flintstones(TM) Gummies Children's Multivitamins, PowerBar Harvest(R) and PowerBar(R) Nut Naturals, Ronzoni(R) Healthy Harvest Pastas, BUSH'S(R) BEST Beans, Cabot(R) Cheese, Minute Maid(R) Premium Heart Wise(TM) Orange Juice, Filippo Berio(R) Olive Oil, Benecol(R) Spreads, Metamucil(R) Fiber Therapy, Roche Diagnostics, maker of ACCU-CHEK(R) brand products, and Abbott's Ross Products Division.

The SAM'S CLUB Healthy Heart Community Event is supported in part by the following companies: Tone's(R) Spices and Seasonings, Bayer HealthCare, Del Monte Foods, St. Joseph(R) Low Dose Aspirin, PLANTERS(R), Member's Mark(TM), PowerBar(R), Harvest(R) Whole Grain PowerBar(R), Nut Naturals, Treasures from the Sea(R), California Sunkist(R) Pistachios, Quaker(R) Oatmeal, Philips Medical Systems, IAMS(R) Premium Dog Food, Metamucil(R), Abbott's Ross Products Division, Powered By Tyson(R), Unilever, Slim Fast(R) High Protein Chocolate Shakes, Welch's(R), WhiteWave Foods, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, and Centrum(R) Silver(R) Adult Multivitamin.

Note: a 10 percent service fee applies to nonmember purchases at SAM'S CLUB locations.

About Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM'S CLUB locations in the United Sates. The company also operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. The company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartfacts.com/ . Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com/ .

About SAM'S CLUB

SAM'S CLUB ( http://www.samsclub.com/ ), a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., is the nation's largest warehouse chain in the United States serving small business owners and operators. The purchasing agent of choice, SAM'S CLUB provides everyday low cost to more than 47 million entrepreneurs and consumers.

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

CONTACT: Tara Raeber, +1-314-982-8652, or Jackie Leonard-Tackett,+1-314-982-0283, both for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Web site: http://www.walmart.com/http://www.walmartfacts.com/http://www.samsclub.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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