Lifeline screening

[Cliff Fr]

Has anyone used the clogged artery screening offered by this company? If so were the results useful to you and did your primary doctor accept them?

Thanks in advance

[retiredguy123]

Personally, I would never undergo any medical screening that was not ordered or recommended by a medical doctor. How do you know that the results that are produced are not going to be misinterpreted or used by your doctor to practice defensive medicine to protect them from a possible malpractice lawsuit? If you need to be screened, your doctor can order it.

[villagetinker]

I agree with above, talk to your PCP first, many can do preliminary screens in their office to see if a detailed screen is necessary.

[Cliff Fr]

Last year I did talk to my pcp about the tests offered by the testing company. He ordered sonograms of the main arteries to the heart. My insurance would not pay for a sonogram of the carotid arteries. From what I've researched, often the first symptom of a blocked carotid artery is a stroke. If that is true my pcp would not know to order a sonogram. My cholesterol was a little high but now it's normal because of diet changes I made.

[BobnBev]

Your PCP should be listening with his stethascope to your carotid's with every visit. If he hears the loud swishing sound of the blood flow, you should be good to go.

[Stu from NYC]

Good to know

[dhdallas]

It is unnecessary and Lifeline makes money off fools and hypochondriacs.

[ndf888]

It looks like a legit company, and it’s true that many people with borderline cholesterol levels have clogged arteries and even heart attacks. If you have cholesterol levels around or over 200 or any other risk factors, I would see a cardiologist first. They can do some of these tests. Also, you can get a more extensive bloodwork test that includes Lipoprotein (a) and ApoB. You can ask your PCP to add these tests to your annual checkup. Or order them yourself from Quest or a more specialized company such as FunctionHealth: What'''s Included (https://www.functionhealth.com/whats-included).

For a more detailed explanation, check this recent review article ScienceDirect (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666667722000551?via%3Dihub)

[retiredguy123]

If you have a screening test performed as a result of a doctor's order, you have already been screened as needing the test, based on accepted medical protocols. But, if you go to Lifeline Screening, the only screening that takes place is to determine if you have enough money to pay for the test. In that case, the test results can often be misinterpreted because the decision to have the test was not based on years of research data to determine who should and who should not be tested.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Last year I did talk to my pcp about the tests offered by the testing company. He ordered sonograms of the main arteries to the heart. My insurance would not pay for a sonogram of the carotid arteries. From what I've researched, often the first symptom of a blocked carotid artery is a stroke. If that is true my pcp would not know to order a sonogram. My cholesterol was a little high but now it's normal because of diet changes I made.

eh. . from cardiologists a better indication of heart attack potential is the calcium score from a calcium scan. I started with a cardiologist just for preventative heart attack protocols at 60, as my dad had heart attack at 60, my grandfather at 50.

My cholesterol was borderline, and my blood pressure has always been borderline.
Calcium scan came back extremely high! means that I have an elevated risk of a blood clot from plague breaking off and clogging up somewhere clear.

recommended cholesterol levels keep dropping. . drug company conspiracy? or better medical research on longevity?

I play soccer with the TV group, no symptoms, never had a symptom, even on the stress test monitor. But I have an elevated risk of a heart attack after the calcium scan, requested by an 70+ year old cardiologist. Old research docs are the best.

But i know people who are in the same place as I am with traditional blood work only and have had heart attacks.

My opinion, any risks factors, start seeing a cardiologist, as a PCPS are just generalists, and their only recommendations are drugs. . . my PCP recommends heart drug changes, and I constantly tell him i will go with the cardiologist recommendations.

Just my opinion, and I support the AED program as I know too many with heart attacks, including a ship captain i was with, and I had to take over and dock the ship as the chief mate, and got him an ambulance at the dock waiting for him.

[Stu from NYC]

eh. . from cardiologists a better indication of heart attack potential is the calcium score from a calcium scan. I started with a cardiologist just for preventative heart attack protocols at 60, as my dad had heart attack at 60, my grandfather at 50.

My cholesterol was borderline, and my blood pressure has always been borderline.
Calcium scan came back extremely high! means that I have an elevated risk of a blood clot from plague breaking off and clogging up somewhere clear.

recommended cholesterol levels keep dropping. . drug company conspiracy? or better medical research on longevity?

I play soccer with the TV group, no symptoms, never had a symptom, even on the stress test monitor. But I have an elevated risk of a heart attack after the calcium scan, requested by an 70+ year old cardiologist. Old research docs are the best.

But i know people who are in the same place as I am with traditional blood work only and have had heart attacks.

My opinion, any risks factors, start seeing a cardiologist, as a PCPS are just generalists, and their only recommendations are drugs. . . my PCP recommends heart drug changes, and I constantly tell him i will go with the cardiologist recommendations.

Just my opinion, and I support the AED program as I know too many with heart attacks, including a ship captain i was with, and I had to take over and dock the ship as the chief mate, and got him an ambulance at the dock waiting for him.

Very true.

We have a very good PCP and she orders tests as she thinks are necessary.

[Albany]

eh. . from cardiologists a better indication of heart attack potential is the calcium score from a calcium scan. I started with a cardiologist just for preventative heart attack protocols at 60, as my dad had heart attack at 60, my grandfather at 50.

My cholesterol was borderline, and my blood pressure has always been borderline.
Calcium scan came back extremely high! means that I have an elevated risk of a blood clot from plague breaking off and clogging up somewhere clear.

recommended cholesterol levels keep dropping. . drug company conspiracy? or better medical research on longevity?

I play soccer with the TV group, no symptoms, never had a symptom, even on the stress test monitor. But I have an elevated risk of a heart attack after the calcium scan, requested by an 70+ year old cardiologist. Old research docs are the best.

But i know people who are in the same place as I am with traditional blood work only and have had heart attacks.

My opinion, any risks factors, start seeing a cardiologist, as a PCPS are just generalists, and their only recommendations are drugs. . . my PCP recommends heart drug changes, and I constantly tell him i will go with the cardiologist recommendations.

Just my opinion, and I support the AED program as I know too many with heart attacks, including a ship captain i was with, and I had to take over and dock the ship as the chief mate, and got him an ambulance at the dock waiting for him.

My calcium score came back very high! My PCP shipped me off to a cardiologist immediately, and told me to take a statin starting that day. Subsequent stress tests, echos, etc. showed plaque in a coronary artery, and I'm grateful to the calcium scan for the heads up. I feel that both my PCP and cardiologist take good care of me, and I try to do my part.

[ithos]

Has anyone used the clogged artery screening offered by this company? If so were the results useful to you and did your primary doctor accept them?

Thanks in advance

I used a similar service from HealthFair about 12 years ago and I was very satisfied. The tests were much more affordable than going the conventional route. This screening would never have been covered by insurance.

Ignorance is not bliss. I personally think it is foolish to wait until you experience symptoms from cardiovascular diseases and cancer before you do any testing. Heart disease and stroke are the number one killer in the USA. The earlier you know the better. It is also good to have a baseline for comparison later on.

It also may be a good motivator for people who rarely exercise and eat poorly to improve their lifestyle.

Most doctors put much more emphasis on drugs and surgery than lifestyle changes probably because they know that their patients will not follow their advice. This is too bad because almost all cardiovascular disease are preventable. We know this because there have been epidemiology studies of populations that have almost zero heart attacks and cancer.

A calcium scan is also a good idea. It only costs around $120 and no doctors approval is needed.

And if you are going to disparage a business, ethically you should have some credible information to back it up.

[Pennyt]

I used to get them. When I asked my physician about them, he said it didn't hurt to have them, but it was unnecessary in his opinion as he listens to my arteries at visits. He said if there was an issue he would have heard it.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

My calcium score came back very high! My PCP shipped me off to a cardiologist immediately, and told me to take a statin starting that day. Subsequent stress tests, echos, etc. showed plaque in a coronary artery, and I'm grateful to the calcium scan for the heads up. I feel that both my PCP and cardiologist take good care of me, and I try to do my part.

I will send the paper work in to create a new Village's affinity group:
The high calcium score group!

:agree:
:mademyday:
:BigApplause:
:wave:
:bowdown:

[Fetchit]

Lifeline screening literally saved my dad‘s life. He had 98% blockage in his carotid artery and his doctor did not catch it. He took his lifeline screening results in to His doctor and the doctor still didn’t believe it until they actually did some tests. They check things that your regular doctor doesn’t always do. If they find anything off, you can ask your doctor to then check it. It is worth the money and it is not that expensive. It could save your life. it is not a scam, it’s peace of mind.

[Stu from NYC]

I will send the paper work in to create a new Village's affinity group:
The high calcium score group!

:agree:
:mademyday:
:BigApplause:
:wave:
:bowdown:

After each meeting can we go out for pizza or a steak?

[CoachKandSportsguy]

After each meeting can we go out for pizza or a steak?

Stu, absolutely, all members can attend, however,
calcium scan results above 80% are required.

:icon_hungry:

[ithos]

I used to get them. When I asked my physician about them, he said it didn't hurt to have them, but it was unnecessary in his opinion as he listens to my arteries at visits. He said if there was an issue he would have heard it.
You may want to get a second opinion or better yet another primary physician.
heart rhythms can be quite complex and not all abnormal rhythms can be properly identified through a stethoscope check alone. In addition, blockages in the heart that can lead to heart attacks can’t be picked up on a stethoscope check.
What a stethoscope check can tell your doctor about your heart health (https://health.sunnybrook.ca/heart/what-a-stethoscope-check-can-tell-your-doctor-about-your-heart-health/#:~:text=cardiac%20stress%20testing.%E2%80%9D-,Dr.,up%20on%20a%20stethoscope%20check).

[Dchilder]

Yes, and they detected a moderate blockage on one side that had not been noticed by my PCP. I discussed the results with my PCP and he referred me to a vascular specialist who confirmed the blockage and I have been getting it checked regularly since (along with some meds). Lifeline screening was able to catch this early, so i consider it money well spent.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Lifeline screening literally saved my dad‘s life. He had 98% blockage in his carotid artery and his doctor did not catch it. He took his lifeline screening results in to His doctor and the doctor still didn’t believe it until they actually did some tests. They check things that your regular doctor doesn’t always do. If they find anything off, you can ask your doctor to then check it. It is worth the money and it is not that expensive. It could save your life. it is not a scam, it’s peace of mind.

A PCP is primarily a reactive MD, and secondarily a proactive MD. however, the proactive PCP has limited standard tools and tests, without a reactive reason. Same with cancer marker proactive screening, a PCP must have a reason to order tests so that insurance will cover it. Medical insurance is generally not a proactive but a reactive insurance policy to cover actual events.

Anyone with potential heart issues who wants to be proactive should engage a cardiologist, who has the tools and experience to better deal with the specialty issues than a PCP.

As far as cancer bloodwork screening, most men have a PSA test as standard and insurance covers it, woman have a mammogram as standard and insurance covers it. Colonoscopies are another. However, there are many more cancers which don't show any symptoms until its too late, especially pancreatic, where the prospect is usually fatal after discovery. There are markers in proactive blood work, but its on you. . .

I would definately pay for advanced blood screening looking for markets of cancer as that also runs in my family, which are not easily seen with blood or other standard testing.

YMMV

[Altavia]

The cost of genetic testing is rapidly decreasing and beginning to become more mainstream.

23andMe+ Total Health Membership. Exome Testing & Personalized Care - 23andMe (https://www.23andme.com/total-health/)

Genetic testing - Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/genetic-testing/about/pac-20384827)

Why it's done
Genetic testing plays a vital role in determining the risk of developing certain diseases as well as screening and sometimes medical treatment. Different types of genetic testing are done for different reasons:

Diagnostic testing.
If you have symptoms of a disease that may be caused by genetic changes, sometimes called mutated genes, genetic testing can reveal if you have the suspected disorder. For example, genetic testing may be used to confirm a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis or Huntington's disease.

Presymptomatic and predictive testing.
If you have a family history of a genetic condition, getting genetic testing before you have symptoms may show if you're at risk of developing that condition. For example, this type of test may be useful for identifying your risk of certain types of colorectal cancer.

Carrier testing.
If you have a family history of a genetic disorder — such as sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis — or you're in an ethnic group that has a high risk of a specific genetic disorder, you may choose to have genetic testing before having children. An expanded carrier screening test can detect genes associated with a wide variety of genetic diseases and mutations and can identify if you and your partner are carriers for the same conditions.

Pharmacogenetics.
If you have a particular health condition or disease, this type of genetic testing may help determine what medication and dosage will be most effective and beneficial for you.

Prenatal testing.
If you're pregnant, tests can detect some types of abnormalities in your baby's genes. Down syndrome and trisomy 18 syndrome are two genetic disorders that are often screened for as part of prenatal genetic testing. Traditionally this is done looking at markers in blood or by invasive testing such as amniocentesis. Newer testing called cell-free DNA testing looks at a baby's DNA via a blood test done on the mother.

Newborn screening.
This is the most common type of genetic testing. In the United States, all states require that newborns be tested for certain genetic and metabolic abnormalities that cause specific conditions. This type of genetic testing is important because if results show there's a disorder such as congenital hypothyroidism, sickle cell disease or phenylketonuria (PKU), care and treatment can begin right away.

Preimplantation testing.
Also called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, this test may be used when you attempt to conceive a child through in vitro fertilization. The embryos are screened for genetic abnormalities. Embryos without abnormalities are implanted in the uterus in hopes of achieving pregnancy.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

genetic medicine is the perfection of the medical proactive analysis and prevention.

however, its really still in its infancy, just be prepared to know what you might prefer to be ignorant about. .
as the information might cause permanent unnecessary anxiety. . .

YMMV

[Bugface]

To answer your question: IMHO it is a worthwhile screening. It is a screening only and is meant for a person who has not had a cardiac incident, bone break, or a stroke but is perhaps at higher risk (age, genetics, etc.), and would like to know more regarding personal risk. Some screening tests (like the carotid scans) will not be covered by traditional insurance plans if patient hasn't had an "incident" even if ordered by MD. These screenings are very affordable alternatives to some of these tests and can be good starting points to dialogue with your MD. My cardiologist recommended the Lifeline test to me as screening for carotid blockages and peripheral artery disease (PAD).

[Dusty_Star]

Is there a Lifeline Screening office near us?

[Rainger99]

My cholesterol was a little high but now it's normal because of diet changes I made.

What were the changes? I probably should eat healthier!