CardioGuard

A program to reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other forms of cardiovascular disease.

Heart attacks are the result of decades of plaque building up silently in the arteries.

We must act early to slow atherosclerosis before it causes harm; rather than just hoping not to get chest pain.

Learn more about my heart health

Waiting until age 50-60 to be concerned about cardiovascular health is a grave mistake. Although this is the age at which most people will start to suffer the consequences of cardiovascular disease, that process begins in our teens and 20s.

We now understand that many factors can accelerate the development of plaque inside our arteries. While most standard medical approaches focus on the basics, such as LDL-cholesterol and blood pressure, we dive much deeper with advanced diagnostic testing of lipids, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Additionally, we utilize direct measurements of existing plaque rather than relying on guesswork.

Based on these results, we calculate your cumulative risk score for a future heart attack. With this data and understanding, you can improve by focusing on nutrition, supplements, exercise, and prescription medications.

Preventing heart disease starts now.

CardioGuard Program Details

  • We start everyone with a comprehensive set of screening tests, including:

    • Body measurements

      • Blood pressure, height, weight, abdominal circumference (done by nurse in clinic)

      • Optional: Body Composition Test = $49

    • Cardiometabolic Labs

      • Advanced insights into lipids, inflammatory markers, and metabolic drivers that contribute to atherosclerosis. Learn more.

      • Panel options: Basic, Expanded, or Advanced. Learn more.

    Based on the above results, we provide a RISK CALCULATION of:

    • 10-year and 30-year cardiovascular risk (heart attack) using the Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Events (PREVENT) calculator

    • Metabolic Syndrome (insulin resistance) severity.

    Pricing based on lab panel choose:

    • Basic Panel = $149

    • Expanded Panel = $259

    • Advanced Panel = $399

    *This assessment does not include a consultation with a physician, management of any associated conditions, or prescriptions.

  • Item description

  • Our 45-minute physician consultation will help you understand your test results and risks. We will discuss lifestyle factors and provide recommendations on supplements.

    This visit does NOT include review or prescribing of Rx medications for bone health or any other issue.

    Price = $169

New Patient Enrollment

Individual Lab Tests

Lipids/Cholesterol

Black and white illustration of a layered cake with different textures and patterns.

  • The “good” type of cholesterol helps clear away plaque from blood vessel walls. There are some strong genetic influences of HDL in some people but a higher level is ideal.

    Included in all panels.

  • A binding protein found on “bad” cholesterol types that promotes plaque formation in blood vessel walls (atherosclerosis).

    Included in all panels.

  • Lipoprotein (a), or Lp(a), is a molecule that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This marker is strongly genetic and cannot be improved much through lifestyle changes.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • Apo A-1 is the main protein content of HDL. Decreased levels correlate with increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), and is a better measure of “good cholesterol” than HDL alone.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • This NMR LipoProfile measures the number and full spectrum of lipid particle by size. The smallest LDLs are most associated with plaque formation so reported as the most important metric.

    Included in Advanced Panel.

Inflammation

Black and white illustration inflammation inside an artery wall

  • High Sensitivity C­-Reactive Protein (hs­-CRP) is an inflammatory marker that signifies increased cardiovascular risk. Very high levels (> 10) can also be seen with numerous problems (e.g. infection).

    Included in all panels.

  • Fibrinogen is elevated with various type of inflammation. Persistently elevated levels are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • Homocysteine can be elevated for a number of reasons, including deficiency in B-vitamins or folate. It is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • Oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxidized LDL) is now considered to be a key event in the biological process that initiates and accelerates the development of the early atherosclerotic lesion, the fatty streak.

    Included in Advanced Panel.

Metabolic / Insulin Resistance

A monochrome drawing of a human finger showing a cross-section of the fingertip, including a cluster of circular structures representing nerve endings or other tissue inside the finger.

  • Aka. “blood sugar”, glucose is the primary source of energy for your body. Elevated levels in a fasted state can signify diabetes or risk of diabetes in the future.

    Included in all panels.

  • A high level of fasting insulin is an indicator of insulin resistance; occurring well before a rise in blood sugars (type 2 diabetes). Lower levels are associated with less risk of cardiovascular disease.

    Included in all panels.

  • An estimation of average blood sugar over the past 120 days. A diagnosis of diabetes is made at 6.5, but higher than 5.6 is a risk for developing diabetes ­­- often called “pre­-diabetes”.

    Included in all panels.

  • The fat particles that transport cholesterol. High levels often coincide with obesity and insulin resistance, especially when combined with low HDL.

    Included in all panels.

  • Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) is a liver enzyme. Higher levels are associated with injury or inflammation; most commonly “fatty liver disease”, often found with metabolic syndrome.

    Included in all panels.

  • High uric acid is associated with a number of chronic disease states, including cardiometabolic diseases. High levels are associated with gouty arthritis but are not sufficient to make a diagnosis.

    Included in all panels.

  • After ingesting carbohydrates (75g of glucose here) your blood glucose and insulin levels will naturally rise for at least 30-60 minutes, before lowering. Elevated glucose or insulin levels at 1-3 hours (a delayed peak) suggests insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.

    • 1-hour post-prandial Glucose & Insulin included in Expanded panel.

    • Modified Kraft Protocol (1 & 2-hour post-prandial Glucose & Insulin) included in Advanced panel.

  • Aka. “CGM”. This tiny sensor placed on the skin measures your blood sugar every 1-3 minutes 24/7 (continuously) for 14-15 days. The data is pushed to your smartphone (iPhone or Android).

    Included in Advanced Panel

You can learn more about our panel options here.

Schedule My Initial Testing

Cardiometabolic Lab Panels

Basic Panel

Lipids: HDL, Apolipoprotein B

Inflammation: hs-CRP

Metabolic: Glucose (fasting), Insulin (fasting), Hemoglobin A1c, Uric Acid, ALT

Blood: Hemoglobin

$109

Expanded Panel

Basic Biomarker panel, PLUS…

Lipids: Apolipoprotein (A), Lp (a)

Inflammation: Fibrinogen, Homocysteine

Metabolic: 1-hour* post-prandial (oral glucose) Insulin & Glucose

$239

Learn more about my risk

Advanced Panel

Basic & Expanded Biomarker panels, PLUS…

Lipids: NMR LipoProfile (Particle Size)

Inflammation: oxLDL

Metabolic: Modified Kraft Protocol = 1 & 2-hour* post-prandial (oral glucose) Insulin & Glucose, Continous Glucose Montior (1 sensor = 2 weeks)

$349

Preventing heart disease starts 30 years before the chest pain.

Enroll Here