People 12 to 35 years old can check on their heart health for free today in El Segundo.

The Saving Hearts Foundation will host a free heart screening event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Da Vinci Schools in an effort to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in youths.

The foundation will provide the preventative heart screenings to detect cardiac abnormalities through electrocardiogram tests, which record the electrical activity of one’s heart.

The foundation, a nonprofit founded by UCLA undergraduates 10 years ago, held its first free heart screening event in 2017. Members have held nearly 30 screening events since, according to Saving Hearts’ website.

The three founders had had a friend die from sudden cardiac arrest. Soon after, they started working to organize community heart screening events to prevent sudden cardiac arrests in youth.

Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association, as the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating, which is considered an “electrical” issue. A heart attack, on the other hand, is caused by a circulation problem.

If you go

The free heart screening event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Da Vinci Schools, 201 N. Douglas St., El Segundo. To register, go to savingheartsfoundation.com/da-vinci-high-school.