Epi+Gen CHD™: The ideal option for concierge medicine specialists
Concierge Medicine is a rapidly emerging specialty that provides on-demand health care services as part of a membership or fee-for-service care plan. The vast majority of Concierge Medicine or Private Physicians provide primary care. Some practitioners, particularly those trained in cardiology, also provide subspecialty care. Epi+Gen CHD can help all concierge medicine specialists provide better care for their patients.
NextGen Technology Prioritizes Better Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease
Concierge Care is an attractive option for patients who desire a traditional provider-patient relationship but whose schedules are not compatible with traditional network-based health care plans or do not have robust healthcare benefits as part of their employment packages. The emphasis of Concierge Medicine on prompt service with low administrative overhead fulfills many of these needs for the effective provision of routine health care while allowing for separate coverage for catastrophic illnesses.
Primary prevention is a major emphasis for Concierge Medicine specialists. Very often, their clients are busy executives of critical importance to their organizations. Because the loss of key individuals can result in financial calamity for their firms, investors and financial agencies often insist that these key individuals receive state-of-the-art preventive medical assessments. However, providing these potentially life-saving assessments to busy executives is often challenging because of their clients’ schedules.
Epi+Gen CHD offers a more powerful, easier to administer testing option.
Epi+Gen CHD is an ideal option for Concierge Medicine specialists whose clients need risk screening for coronary heart disease. In the past, these evaluations could have ranged from standard lipid profiling to exercise treadmill or coronary calcium imaging based on the need and/or risk involved. Epi+Gen CHD gives these clinicians a more powerful, easier to administer testing option.
Epi+Gen CHD is twice as sensitive as traditional lipid-based profiling.
Unlike older lipid profiling techniques, epigenetics testing doesn’t require fasting.
This evidence-based test displays no bias between men and women.
Flexible, convenient testing options are available for your clients.
Advantages of Epi+Gen CHD™
Flexible physician journey
Flexible patient journey
High sensitivity
Informative
Compliance
Dynamic
Objective
Integrable
Convenience
No radiation
Near-term risk
FAQs
Who is the test appropriate for?
The test was validated in patients over the age of 35 who did not have coronary heart disease (CHD). The test is useful for screening patients for risk of CHD, but not for other cardiac conditions such as arrhythmia, heart failure, or aneurysm.
What are the results from the Epi+Gen CHD™ test?
The current output from the test is the 3-year risk of symptomatic CHD characterized as low, intermediate, or high.
Who receives a copy of the results?
If the physician requests the test, the results are sent directly to the physician for disclosure to the patient. If a patient initiates the request for the test through our web portal and requests a telemedicine visit, a copy of the results is released to them by their telemedicine physician.
What is the turnaround time?
Currently, the test results from our CLIA certified laboratory are returned approximately 7-10 business days after receipt of the sample in the lab.
How does the test work?
The test (patent pending) measures DNA methylation status at 3 loci and genotype at 5 loci. Then, an artificial intelligence guided algorithm interprets the results of the DNA methylation contextually with respect to the genetic variation. This approach allows us to interpret epigenetic signatures that would otherwise be confounded by background genetic variation. Similar approaches are being used by other epigenetically based tests such as Cologuard®.
What are the advantages of the test as compared to standard lipid profile-based approaches?
The test is approximately twice as sensitive for CHD related events over the 3-year risk window as conventional risk calculators (Framingham Risk Score and ASCVD Risk Calculator). In addition, the content available on our web portal provides guidance for addressing other risk factors for myocardial infarction such as serum cholesterol levels.
Can I preorder an inventory of tests for my office?
Yes. To do so, please email customer service at [email protected] and tell them whether you desire the finger lancet or venipuncture based collection kits. The collection tubes from both kits are shelf stable.
Where can I go to learn more about the test?
The scientific premise for the test was described in “Integrated genetic and epigenetic prediction of coronary heart disease in the Framingham Heart Study”. The description of the test validation was presented at the 2020 American Heart Association Meeting in Phoenix and the paper detailing the test is under review at a leading journal. In addition, the company regularly hosts webinars discussing the technology. If you would like our medical director to contact you directly, please email the request to [email protected] along with your contact information.
Can I still order a traditional lipid profile panel?
Yes. Our results can easily be supplemented with the results from the Framingham Risk Score and the ASCVD Pooled Cohort Equation risk estimators. Because Epi+Gen CHD™ is much more sensitive to the onset of CHD, it is quite possible our test will indicate increased risk in those individuals thought to be at low risk according to these conventional risk calculators, or occasionally, vice versa. In those cases with discrepant results, we suggest erroring on the side of caution since the onset of CHD can be fatal.
What do I do if the test comes back with an elevated risk score?
We highly recommend following the American Heart Association Guidelines which include considering secondary testing, the encouragement of lifestyle changes, and use of statins.
When should the test be repeated?
Within three years. The updated methylation values may show the change in incident CHD risk since the prior evaluation.
