Just last week I saw a full-page ad in the newspaper for a series of medical screening tests — EKG, echocardiogram, aortic ultrasound, and the like (all interpreted by “certified doctors”) — that a person could arrange for oneself or a loved one.

We newspaper readers were told we could arrange to have these tests performed without a doctor’s order as long as we’re willing to pay for them ourselves.

We could choose à la carte from a menu of screening tests or order a group of them as a package (Do you have a relative who died from a brain aneurysm?  Purchase peace of mind with the vascular package, including EKG, carotid ultrasound, echocardiogram and abdominal ultrasound!).

They even had testimonials from lucky survivors whose lives were saved by early, proactive testing.
Should you sign up for testing?

Read more: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/06/cardiologist-discusses-screening-vascular-disease.html