An executive physical is a broad checkup, often packed into a single day, that screens many body systems at once. Cardio Res-Q looks at one thing only: your risk of heart attack and stroke. Neither is better in general. They answer different questions.
If your main worry is your heart, because of family history, cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar, a focused workup goes deeper on that question for less money. Cardio Res-Q costs $775 for the Comprehensive Assessment or $999 for the Enhanced Assessment. If you want a wide health review across many areas, Cardio Res-Q will not give you that, and it does not replace routine care with a primary care doctor.
Key takeaways
- An executive physical screens many body systems, while Cardio Res-Q looks only at heart attack and stroke risk.
- One is not better than the other in general, because they answer different questions.
- Cardio Res-Q does not include cancer screening or a general physical and does not replace routine primary care.
- More testing does not automatically mean better health, and that caution applies to a focused heart workup too.
- If you have symptoms, you need a medical evaluation and not either kind of screening package.
What an executive physical usually involves
Programs differ, so treat this as a general description. A 2019 JAMA study described executive physicals as daylong comprehensive evaluations offering testing and screening to wealthy individuals and corporate leaders.1
A typical package combines a long physician visit and a physical exam with a wide set of blood tests and several screening tests across different body systems. Some add imaging or consultations with other specialists. Many are paid for by an employer. Prices vary widely from one program to the next, and the heart portion is one part among many.
The appeal is clear: one day, one place, a lot of ground covered, and unhurried time with a doctor.
What Cardio Res-Q involves
Cardio Res-Q is narrow on purpose. Both assessments include:
- Dr. Varano's clinical evaluation
- Advanced labs: ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, homocysteine, insulin, glucose and A1c
- The Cleveland Heart cardiac panel
- A lifestyle and risk evaluation covering family history, blood pressure, weight, sleep, stress, nutrition and exercise
- A personalized heart protection plan
The Enhanced Assessment adds a CIMT ultrasound and a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score. The CAC scan is ordered by your provider and done at an outside imaging facility. It is typically a separate self-pay study of $100 to $200. The details are in Comprehensive vs. Enhanced.
It does not include cancer screening, a general physical, vision or hearing checks, or anything outside cardiovascular and metabolic risk.
Side by side
| Executive physical | Cardio Res-Q | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Broad: many body systems | Narrow: heart and metabolic risk |
| Format | Often a single full day | Labs drawn at least a week ahead, then a 1-hour consult |
| Heart testing | Varies by program | ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, homocysteine, insulin, glucose, A1c, the Cleveland Heart panel. Enhanced adds CIMT and a CAC score |
| Cancer and general screening | Often included | Not included |
| Price | Varies widely by program | $775 or $999, plus typically $100 to $200 for the CAC scan with Enhanced |
| What you leave with | Varies by program | A results review, a risk profile and a personalized heart protection plan |
| Follow-up | Varies by program | Optional ongoing care, or results shared with your own doctor |
The criticism of broad screening, and how it applies to us too
Executive physicals have drawn pointed criticism in the medical literature, including a 2008 commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine.2
The wider evidence on broad checkups is also sobering. A Cochrane review of 17 randomized trials found that general health checks had little or no effect on overall mortality and probably little or no effect on cardiovascular mortality.3 Those trials studied general health checks in ordinary adults, not executive physicals specifically, so the finding does not transfer neatly. But it is a fair warning that more testing does not automatically mean better health.
The practical concern is simple. The more tests you run in a person who feels well, the more likely one of them comes back slightly off. That can lead to repeat tests, scans, worry and cost, with no benefit at the end.
A focused workup is not exempt from this. The US Preventive Services Task Force found the evidence insufficient to judge the balance of benefit and harm of adding a calcium score or hs-CRP to traditional risk assessment in adults without symptoms.4 What a focused workup can do is keep every test tied to one question and to a decision you might actually make. Our list of questions to ask before booking heart screening applies to any program, ours included.
Who suits which
An executive physical may suit you if:
- Your employer pays for it.
- You have not had a checkup in years and want everything reviewed at once.
- Your concerns are spread across many areas, not mainly your heart.
Cardio Res-Q may suit you if:
- Heart disease is your main concern, for example because of a family history of early heart disease.
- You have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or insulin resistance.
- You are up to date on routine screening with your primary care doctor and want more depth on heart risk only.
- You want a plan built around the results, not just a report.
Neither is right if you have symptoms. Chest pain, breathlessness, palpitations or fainting need a medical evaluation, not a screening package. And if you recently had an executive physical that included a calcium score, ApoB and Lp(a), check what you already have before paying for it again. Bring those reports and ask our team what would be new.
How to book Cardio Res-Q
Go to the Cardio Res-Q program page and select the Comprehensive ($775) or Enhanced ($999) assessment. Both are one-time, direct-pay assessments that are not billed to insurance. You are welcome to try an HSA or FSA card, but the clinic cannot confirm it will be accepted. Fast for 10 to 12 hours before your labs.
Ongoing care after the assessment is optional. If you have questions about what is covered, contact our team before you book.
Are You a Candidate for Cardio Res-Q?
Three quick questions about the risk factors we screen for. Your answers stay between you and the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cardio Res-Q a full physical?
No. It covers cardiovascular and metabolic risk only. It does not include cancer screening or a general physical, and it does not replace routine care with your primary care doctor.
I just had an executive physical. Is there any point in Cardio Res-Q?
It depends on what was tested. If your physical already included ApoB, Lp(a) and a calcium score, much of the testing would repeat. Bring your reports and ask our team what would be new before you pay.
Is everything done in one day?
No. Your labs are drawn at least a week before your visit, so Dr. Varano can review the results at your 1-hour consult. If you choose Enhanced, the calcium scan is done at an outside imaging center that you schedule yourself, so it is a separate appointment.
Will my employer or insurance pay for Cardio Res-Q?
The assessments are direct-pay and are not billed to insurance. You may try an HSA or FSA card, but the clinic cannot confirm it will be accepted and does not provide reimbursement forms. Whether an employer will reimburse the cost is a question for your employer.
Does more testing mean better protection?
Not on its own. Testing only helps when a result changes what you do. A focused set of tests tied to a clear plan is usually more useful than a long list of results with no follow-through.
Related reading
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Decisions about testing and medication should be made with your clinician. If you have chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack, call 911.
