What is it about ?
A check-up is a one-time medical examination of a healthy man or woman who does not have symptoms. The health check is repeated with some regularity, for example every year or every 5 years. The aim is to determine if, at the time of the examination, a person has a disease that needs to be treated or if they have a certain risk of disease that requires adaptation of their lifestyle.
Usually, the check-up takes place at the request of the person, sometimes at the request of someone else (eg under insurance). It is therefore a snapshot that says almost nothing about the past or the future. It is therefore not too valuable. After a normal result, there is no guarantee that your health will remain good for years to come.
How often should you have a health check-up?
It is generally accepted that check-ups are not necessary until the age of 50.
In people between 50 and 65 years of age who are at low health risk, a workup with new risk assessment is justified after 3 to 4 years. An annual blood test, with cholesterol level measurement, is therefore not necessary in this group.
From the age of 65, it is recommended to take a check-up every year.
What exams will the doctor perform?
The doctor will ask you questions about your lifestyle: diet, smoking, physical exercise, etc. He will also check if there are any hereditary diseases in your family.
A checkup in a healthy person usually includes a physical examination and a blood test. The doctor first takes your blood pressure and checks your weight. It also examines your heart and lungs. A blood test is taken to measure the cholesterol and fat levels. Depending on your blood pressure, weight, and blood fat levels, your doctor can determine your risk of dying within ten years from cardiovascular disease. Blood sugar (blood sugar level) is also measured after 65 years, because the risk of diabetes in older people is higher from this age.
During a regular health check-up, other blood tests are not recommended: therefore no liver, kidney, thyroid, prostate tests, nor vitamin level measurement. Too often the results of these blood tests are false. That is, sometimes the test is perfectly normal even though the person has an illness. And vice versa, the result may be abnormal in a perfectly healthy person. The person is thus wrongly reassured or receives a false alarm, which unnecessarily gives rise to additional examinations or even treatment.
You can always ask your doctor to give you special tests. Be aware, however, that the blood test cannot detect everything. For example, you cannot diagnose or rule out cancer on the basis of a laboratory test alone.
What can you do ?
It is much better to live healthily than to have a check-up. A lot of people tend to stick with their bad habits when they are in good health. Pay attention to your diet and weight, get enough exercise, and don’t smoke or drink too much.
What can the doctor do?
If there is no abnormality, the doctor will advise you to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If the results are abnormal, further tests and possibly start treatment. Usually, the doctor does not prescribe medication. A perfectly healthy person with a slight increase in their cholesterol level does not have to take cholesterol-lowering medication. Vitamins for healthy people are only justified in the case of significant deficiencies posing a risk to health.
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