The Debate on Evidence-Based Medicine as it Applies to Preventive Medicine Screening
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) October 10, 2014 -- The medical community, healthcare organizations and consumers all want evidence or proof of some kind from disease prevention to outcomes. But there is never uniform and unanimous agreement with any article, recommendation or guideline that comes out: whether it is a randomized controlled trial or a set of guidelines from a major medical organization. Even though there may seem to be, superficially, widespread agreement, that agreement is never universal. There are always many physicians and researchers who actually disagree with the majority opinion.
Several well-meaning medical organizations have challenged aggressive cardiovascular screening for subclinical atherosclerosis. However, those challenges have relied upon poorly compiled and biased data and those opinions are being challenged strenuously. For instance, The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently published their recommendations on Screening for Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis. There are statements coming directly from this document that confirm that these recommendations do not come from evidence-based medicine.
The health and wellness company, HealthFair, has gathered a tremendous amount of evidence over the last 14 years by actually testing the population for subclinical atherosclerosis using techniques that are available to hospitals and physicians. HealthFair believes that the real data gathered from testing over a million patients IS “evidence-based” medicine. The data from testing over one million people shows that the tests which are offered have uncovered a great deal of subclinical as well as, at times, symptomatic atherosclerosis, and a high prevalence of obesity, hypertension, cholesterol abnormalities, unsuspected Diabetes, atrial fibrillation, carotid disease and peripheral arterial disease: while a substantial percentage of the people tested have been unaware of the abnormalities. These tests should be taken into consideration when performing risk assessment of patients over the age of 50. This is based upon data, not just consensus opinion.
HealthFair has gathered data and wants to bring the evidence-based conversation back to this data that has identified abnormalities in the population over 50. If the USPSTF can base their recommendations on consensus, then the discoveries that HealthFair continues to find on actual patients can be considered evidence.
About HealthFair:
HealthFair is a national health and wellness company that empowers individuals with affordable access to preventive healthcare. The Company’s broad range of preventive tests allows clients to proactively take control of their healthcare through the early detection and management of risk factors that can lead to longer and healthier lives. The Company’s goal is to save and extend lives, reduce costs and improve national healthcare by testing one million participants per year by 2020. For more information, visit http://www.healthfair.com.
LeAnn McDonald, HealthFair, http://www.healthfair.com, +1 (407) 571-7389, [email protected]
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