Indians have entered into the new millennium bearing the double risk of infections as well as life style diseases. It is estimated that by 2020, one-fourth of our population will suffer from diseases secondary to high cholesterol, one out of every eighth will have diabetes, and approximately 7-8 percent a heart condition. These risks are real and entail a huge financial burden on any developing society. The only way to avert this calamity is by periodic health checkups.
Significance of Preventive Health Examination
Health checkup should not wait until symptoms appear. Infact, many diseases are diagnosed at a much later stage, only when complications set in because of lack of preventive health examination. For example, approximately half of all patients with hypertension and diabetes do not develop any symptoms and come to light when other body organs are affected. The periodic health examinations are, therefore, significant for several reasons:
Prevention and Early Detection of Diseases. For example, detection of high BP in its early stages can help to control it much better and thereby prevent the occurrence of its long term complications.
Providing Reassurance and Confidence. It is like getting an annual health certificate. The objective is to get reassurance and confidence for a long and healthy life. It also spares the family from anxiety and expense of coping with a serious health problems in future.
The other objectives of periodic health examination are:
i) To identify important risk factors for common chronic diseases.
ii) As a way for the doctor to advice people to promote healthy life style.
iii) To enhance the relationship between you and your doctor.
iv) To gather epidemiological data with regard to risk factors and disease profile in a society.
Comprehensive Health Checkup
This should include the followings
i) Medical history with regard to dietary habits, exercise, use of tobacco, alcohol and any medications.
ii) Family history of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, asthma and cancer etc. The information is vital because most of these diseases are inherited from parents.
iii) Physical examination, which must include height, weight, blood pressure, heart beat, lung, thyroid and other relevant examinations depending upon one’s age.
iv) Laboratory tests comprising of blood sugar, blood cholesterol, kidney and thyroid function tests, as well as routine blood and urine examinations. Mammography and pap smears are generally recommended in postmenopausal women. ECG and Echo are advised once in two years in individuals after 50 years of age. Levels of PSA (for prostate cancer) should be checked in men after 50, preferably once in a year. Chest x-ray helps to detect early abnormalities in lungs.
Periodicity of Regular Checkups
How often one should get comprehensive health checkups depends upon one’s age, gender, personal, family and medical histories and therefore, an overall disease risk. For example, an individual less than 30 years of age without any family history of major health disorder, will need less frequent heart checkup compared to a 55 years old, sedentary person who is also obese and smoker.
The first preventive health checkup should take place in early 20’s and should include comprehensive examination defined above. Based upon the results of blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol, a schedule can be decided for future checkups in consultation with your doctor. A person with low or average risk of heart disease should undergo further checkups once in 5 years until the age of 40, and thereafter annually. If you have uncontrolled risk factors such as high BP, cholesterol, sugar or smoking, particularly in association with a strong family history of heart disease, you may require these checkups once in two years.
More recently, the American Medical Association and other similar groups have moved away from the previous recommendations of yearly checkup. They now suggest that preventive medical checkups be performed every 5 years in adults upto the age of 40 and every one to three years thereafter. The requirements may be more frequent in those with definitely established risk factors for chronic diseases.
Know The Risk Profile For Health of Your Heart
The first step towards improving heart’s health and reducing the risk of heart attack is to know your risk factors which predispose to heart attack. There are some risk factors which can’t be changed, while majority are controllable. These including smoking, high BP, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and physical inactivity. All these factors can be unmasked by regular health checkups and instituting appropriate measures to control them, thereby reducing the incidence of heart attacks.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor After Health Checks.
These include:
- BP Reading and if high, the steps to control it.
- Blood cholesterol levels (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and TG).
- Blood Sugar level.
- Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist measurement.
- How to quit smoking.
- The level of physical activity needed to protect one’s heart.
- The eating plan for a healthy heart.
- The risk of developing a heart attack – low, average, moderate or high.