High school student's heart abnormality discovered after EKG test in medical class

KTLA -- An Azusa, California, high school student's heart abnormality was discovered after an EKG test in a medical class -- and it may have saved her life. Savannah Rudder's friends and family never expected a health problem: She is a well-trained athlete, playing three sports.

Many high schools don't have medical academy classes, but Rudder was lucky that Gladstone High School offered it in their program. The junior volunteered to be a test subject to demonstrate how an electrocardiograph, or EKG, works.

Rudder explains, "Playing sports I thought something was maybe going on.... I didn't want to go to the doctor." The class's Medical Instructor, Jennie Aguirre, was operating the EKG equipment when she noticed an abnormality. After class, she pulled Rudder to the side and told her she may want to get it checked out -- and it was severe enough that the high school junior must now wear a heart monitor.

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