Life Line Screening’s Ultrasound Screenings Do Not Mislead the Public

Consider this:

Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability, and the fifth leading cause of death in the US.
795,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year, one every 40 seconds.
About 87% of all stroke are ischemic strokes in which blood flow to the brain is blocked
Most people who have strokes and aneurysms do not experience symptoms before the stroke.¹
8-12 million Americans suffer from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), especially those over age 50.²
LifeLine Screening offers painless, inexpensive, and non-invasive preventive health exams right in your neighborhood.

If you read Lifeline screening reviews that claim that the company provides tests that are unnecessary, misleading, or do more harm than good, consider the facts first. You’ll find these reviews searching for “lifeline screening reviews 2018” or “life screening” or other similar terms and many of them are old, dating back several years. They were out of date then, and are even more so today.

Life Line Screening only screens for things that are treatable.

The concept of screening, no matter for what test or who is doing it, is to provide an early warning that something is wrong in time for an intervention of some kind to make a difference in outcomes. In other words, if we know something is wrong early enough, can we save or improve lives. If we can’t, we shouldn’t screen for it.

Life Line Screening only screens for things we can do something about. Everything Life Line Screening tests for has effective treatments available.

Life Line Screening is about prevention.

At the time some of these LifeLine screening reviews were written, the authors only focused on one thing – surgery. Their idea was that screening should lead to one outcome and one outcome only – surgical intervention. They could not conceive of the idea that screening could lead to lifestyle change, nutritional counseling, exercise regimens and physical trainers, or medical management. The only model they considered was screening to identify people with severe enough disease to warrant surgery.

Surgery may be necessary, and for those who need it, it can be life-saving. A person with a large abdominal aortic aneurysm needs surgery, and that surgery has an excellent chance of saving that individual’s life. Many people who have mild or moderate carotid disease may be able to modify their risk with lifestyle changes and medication. They may never progress to surgery, and what an optimal outcome for them.

¹ https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm

² https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/pad/docs/pad_extfctsht_general_508.pdf

Lifeline Screening’s goal was always prevention of stroke. More than twenty years ago, before prevention was the watchword in medicine that it is today, Life Line Screening’s founders focused on prevention.

What are the common risk factors for vascular disease?

The common risk factors include things that are modifiable, meaning things you can change such as diet, smoking, and exercise level, and non-modifiable things such as your family history.

Who should be screened for vascular disease?

Anybody age 50 or older, or age 40 and who has two or more the risk factors listed above.

Can’t I just ask my doctor for them?

No, unfortunately, your doctor can’t order these tests through insurance because insurance doesn’t cover them as a preventive service. But, if you go to a Life Line Screening even and the report indicates a problem, that is usually enough to trigger the necessary follow-up tests that will be covered through insurance. It’s like the “ticket to ride,” so to speak.

How many people has Life Line Screening screened?

Lifeline Screening has tested more than ten million people and has been in business more than twenty years.

Should everyone be screened for everything you offer?

No. Not every test is suitable for everyone. We make recommendations based on your gender and risk factors, and not every test should be taken every year.

Why doesn’t Life Line Screening screen for coronary artery disease (arteries of the heart)?

We screen for carotid artery disease in the neck, and peripheral arterial disease in the lower legs, as well as check the abdominal aorta, but we do not check the coronary arteries, the arteries surrounding the heart. The kind of tests needed to do that cannot be done in a community based environment and require a hospital.

If we see atherosclerosis in the arteries we do screen, that may be a sign of more global atherosclerosis and you should share you results with your doctor, who might then order coronary artery tests. Keep in mind though, that clear tests on our scans does not mean the coronary arteries are clear. If that is a concern, please talk to your doctor about getting those specific tests done to check your heart.

Does Life Line Screening look at the veins?

No. Arteries and veins are all part of the superhighway that makes up the circulatory system but veins and arteries are two different things. Arteries bring oxygenated and nutrient rich blood to your organs and veins bring depleted blood back to your lungs and heart.

Does Life Line Screening screen for a Thoracic Aneurysm like John Ritter had?

No. We do not screen the thoracic (chest) region, only the abdomen (belly). In addition, John Ritter had something called an aortic dissection, which is a different than an aneurysm.

Is Life Line Screening Worth the Money?

Yes. Life Line Screening provides a valuable service for an affordable price in convenient locations. The screenings provide a look inside your body for silent risk factors that can provide a better picture of your true risk factor stats that can help you and your doctor better understand your true risk and manage your health with the best information possible. Screening is a choice, but for those who want to be proactive and live the best life possible for as long as possible, we are here for you and hope you will be lifelong customers. Check out our Consumer Reviews at: https://www.lifelinescreening.com/screening-benefits/reviews.