FREE GUIDE FROM PRECISION HEALTH CONCIERGE MEDICINE

The Biomarkers
That Matter

Twelve measurements a standard physical leaves out, what each one shows, and what to ask your doctor for.

The Biomarkers That Matter, a physician's guide reviewed by Patrick Mullen, M.D.

You track revenue weekly and margins monthly. Most annual physicals look at your health once a year, using a panel of tests designed to find disease after it has started.

This guide covers the measurements Precision Health physicians use to see where your numbers are heading. Each one is explained in plain language, with the published guideline behind it.

What’s inside

  • The twelve biomarkers, from ApoB and Lp(a) to measured fitness and CCTA

  • What a standard physical checks for each, and what to ask for instead
  • A testing rhythm that turns single results into a trend line
  • A printable interpretation chart with published reference points

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12

Biomarkers, each with its guideline

PREVIEW FROM THE GUIDE

Two approaches to the same checkup

Standard care handles a great deal well, and much of it is covered by insurance. The right column adds depth and frequency for people who want to see the trend line instead of a single snapshot.

Feature A Standard Annual Physical Built to find disease The Precision Health Approach Built to track direction
Built to Find disease that has already started
Track the direction your health is moving
Cholesterol Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides
Adds ApoB and a one-time Lp(a)
Blood sugar Fasting glucose, sometimes A1c
Adds fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, with A1c tracked over time
Inflammation Not routinely measured
High-sensitivity CRP
Kidney function Creatinine-based estimate
Adds cystatin C
Body Weight and BMI
DEXA body composition, including visceral fat and lean mass
Fitness A question about how much you exercise
Measured cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max)
Heart imaging Ordered once symptoms appear
CT coronary angiography (CCTA) when your history warrants it
Frequency Once a year
A full baseline, then re-measured every six months
What you leave with Results and visit notes
The Precision Blueprint and your Precision Score™, within your first month
One biomarker in full

1 Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)

What it measures

The number of cholesterol-carrying particles in your blood. Every particle that can lodge in an artery wall carries exactly one ApoB molecule, so ApoB is a direct particle count.

Why it matters

A standard LDL number measures how much cholesterol the particles carry, not how many particles there are. Two people with the same LDL can have very different particle counts, and research points to particle number as the driver of plaque (Sniderman et al., JAMA Cardiology, 2019).

What a standard physical checks

LDL cholesterol, calculated or measured, as part of a standard lipid panel.

What to ask for

ApoB alongside your standard lipid panel.

What a standard physical checks

LDL cholesterol, calculated or measured, as part of a standard lipid panel.

What to ask for

ApoB alongside your standard lipid panel.

How your physician uses it

The 2026 ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline recognizes ApoB for assessing risk that remains after LDL goals are met. Your physician weighs it with Lp(a), family history, and imaging to set your target.

The other eleven are in the full guide

2Lipoprotein(a)
3High-sensitivity CRP
4Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR
5Hemoglobin A1c
6Cystatin C
7A complete hormone panel
8VO2 max
9Body composition (DEXA)
10Bone density
11CT coronary angiography
12Cancer screening, matched to risk

Plus the testing rhythm Precision Health physicians follow and a printable interpretation chart.

Get The Full Guide

TALK IT THROUGH INSTEAD

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Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Ask about the guide, the Precision Score Assessment, or membership

Reviewed by Patrick Mullen, M.D., Co-Founder and Medical Director