Here are two examples:

Example #1:
Heart disease: If you have plaque building up in your arteries, it could take decades before you have chest pain or pre-stroke symptoms that alert you to call a doctor.  Even with typical screening tests like EKG, it would still take many years before a doctor discovers “arteriosclerosis” or “coronary heart disease.” At WellMax, we discover the process of accelerated plaque accumulation; the process of arteriosclerosis in its earliest stages. Then we work on changing it.

Structural Tests

• IMT. Carotid arteries --- the big vessels in the neck that supply the brain with blood --- have thickening in their inner lining years prior to accumulation of plaque. We measure IMT (Intima Media Thickness) during carotid ultrasound.
  
  
• CACS. Coronary arteries --- the small arteries that supply oxygen to your heart muscle --- can be visualized without needles or pain to measure the amount of calcified plaque in them. The amount of calcified plaque in your coronaries is compared to thousands of other individuals. You could be in the most favorable or least favorable 10%, or somewhere in-between.

Functional Tests

• Cardiac treadmill. Your ECG may look normal at rest but it changes as more demand is put on your heart, and the muscle consumes more oxygen.
  
  
• Echocardiogram is an ultrasound so that the heart’s wall motion and valves can be visualized for function. 

Lab tests

• Genes. You cannot choose your parents, but you can discover specifically which genes you inherited. We can help you understand how to neutralize or minimize any adverse effects. Remember, it doesn’t hurt you if you carry the genes that lead to high blood pressure. It only hurts you if you don’t measure and control the potential hypertension. There are many less obvious genetic vulnerabilities that can be identified well in advance and then changes can be made to reduce or remove the risk.
  
  
• Biomarkers. Biophysical includes the usual cholesterol, but also highly sensitive cardio-CRP, homocysteine, Lipoprotein (a), and  powerful biomarkers like MPO (myeloperoxidase), which can predict heart disease.

Symptoms

• How do feel? If you have chest pain, palpitations, weakness, fatigue, visual headaches, insomnia, snoring or wheezing-  these symptoms matter. When we consider these in light of the other tests, we know much more.

Signs

Example #2:

PSA (prostate cancer screening blood test) comes with the BP 250.

1. It should be interpreted in light of the previous lab result. How does this value compare to previous ones? The velocity (rate of change over time) matters.
   
   
2. What about symptoms? Do you have any change in urinary function or sexual function?
    
3. What about structure? Have you ever had an image of your prostate? Ultrasound, CT, MRI can provide information about size, shape, and tissue changes that can be related to the PSA lab test.
   
   
4. What about Family History? Has your father or brother(s) had any prostate issues?
   
   
5. Next steps? What other tests can be done? Is there a specialist to see?