Atherotech and HealthcheckUSA Join Forces

April 7, 2004 – BIRMINGHAM, AL -- Atherotech, Inc., a leading specialty reference laboratory, and HealthcheckUSA, a direct-to-consumer laboratory service, today announced the launch of the “Get a VAP” Web site, which allows consumers to order Atherotech’s VAP™ (Vertical Auto Profile) expanded cholesterol test. The joint venture provides consumers throughout the United States convenient access to the state-of-the-art cholesterol test via the Internet at www.getavap.com and HealthcheckUSA’s affiliated patient service centers.

The affordable VAP Test provides direct, detailed measurements of cholesterol subclasses that play important roles in the development of heart disease—the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. The comprehensive information provided by the VAP Test allows for improved diagnosis and gives physicians the ability to develop patient-specific therapy, monitor treatment progress, and increase patient compliance. The VAP Test also allows physicians to comply with updated National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines, which call for improved identification and more-aggressive treatment of heart disease.

Roseanne Varner, Atherotech’s president and chief executive officer, said the collaboration with HealthcheckUSA and the availability of the VAP Test through the Web site are important steps in Atherotech’s expansion into the direct access testing market. “We are pleased to partner with HealthcheckUSA and provide the VAP Test to people concerned about their cardiovascular health,” Varner said. “HealthcheckUSA’s focus on providing direct-to-consumer tests and services such as the VAP Test is to be commended. People are showing a growing need to take charge of their health, especially their heart health, and the detailed cholesterol information provided by the VAP Test will let them do just that.”

According to Holt Vaughan, president of HealthcheckUSA, the company is delighted to be one of the first to offer the VAP Test directly to consumers. “We have been educated extensively about the VAP Test and the valuable information it provides about heart disease risk in people who may have a false sense of security about their cholesterol levels,” Vaughan said. “We believe that the VAP Test will revolutionize the way consumers monitor their cholesterol in the future.”

To request a VAP Test without a physician referral, consumers can log on to the “Get a VAP” Web site and select a lab location closest to them. HealthcheckUSA then forwards the customer the appropriate paperwork, which they can take to the lab without an appointment. The simple blood test can be completed in 10 minutes. Professionals screen all test results, and patients are urged to consult a physician if abnormalities appear. Results and explanations are mailed to HealthcheckUSA customers within 10–14 working days. Information about the VAP Test also is available at HealthcheckUSA’s main Web site at www.healthcheckusa.com.


About HealthcheckUSA

Founded by physicians in 1987, San Antonio-based HealthcheckUSA provides health awareness screening tests to customers throughout the United States, and offers the convenience and cost-savings that proactive, health-conscious consumers increasingly demand. The company is affiliated with major national medical laboratories with more than 5,000 draw sites nationwide. For more information, call 800–929–2044.

About Atherotech, Inc.

Atherotech, a leading specialty reference laboratory based in Birmingham, is dedicated to improving the early diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases that kill nearly 1 million Americans each year. Its VAP Cholesterol Test was named one of “five tests worth paying for” by the Wall Street Journal. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.thevaptest.com.

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