“Regular check-ups are
an important part of a prevention routine and can help keep people on track
with their health goals.”
Preventative health care is
becoming new mantra, as people have become more educated and empowered about
their own health. Today more and more people are pre-emptively seeking medical
advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle and identifying risk factors.
Doctors are also requesting that
patients get regular check-ups to, as a means to reduce the number of patients
requiring medical treatment or surgery. Early detection of any health issues
will help your get the right treatment quickly, avoiding any complications.
Many hospital today have many
check-up plans designed to assess various health parameters from women and men
and separately. The packages have
specialised investigations and doctors advised encapsulated in the packages to
give you your complete health profile.
Most of the health check plans
are annually or biannually and one has the freedom to choose the plans as per
the cost and tests included.
The benefits of regular check-ups
include:
·
Identifying
risk factors to prevent disease
·
Increase
chances for treatment and cure immediately
·
Limit
risk of complications by closely monitoring existing conditions
·
Increase
lifespan and improve health
·
Reduce
healthcare costs over time by avoiding costly medical services
·
Get
updated on new medical information or technologies that are available
Some
common parameters are assessed for different disease:
Health check-ups for heart disease:
1)
Blood
pressure. Have it checked yearly if you are over 40, your blood pressure is on
the high side, or you have a personal or family history of high blood pressure,
stroke or heart attack.
2)
Blood
tests – check cholesterol levels and blood triglycerides, among other things.
High levels may indicate increased risk factors, including heart disease. If
you are over 45, you should have these blood tests once every five years. If
you are at high risk of heart disease and have a family history, you should be
tested every year from the age of 40.
3)
Electrocardiogram
(ECG) – this is a non-invasive and painless medical test that detects cardiac
(heart) abnormalities by measuring the electrical activity generated by the
heart as it contracts.
4)
Obesity
tests – being overweight is a significant risk factor for many health
conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Do your body mass
index (BMI) and waist measurement every two years. If you are at a higher risk,
you should have your weight checked more frequently.
Tests for diabetes include a
fasting blood sugar level test and post prandial (after lunch), which measures
the amount of glucose in the blood after fasting. It is usually done before you
have breakfast. The second test determines your sugar level after you have
eaten to show how much your body metabolised your glucose.
Depending on your risk level, you
will need to be tested annually or once every three years.
If you have the following risk
factors it is advisable to check for diabetes:
Ø
family
history of diabetes
Ø
pre-diabetes
(slightly elevated blood glucose levels)
Ø
age
over 45 years
Ø
overweight
or obesity
Ø
high
blood pressure
Ø
high
blood cholesterol
Ø
smoking
Ø
inactive
lifestyle
Eyesight tends to deteriorate
with age. Serious eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic
retinopathy and macular degeneration are more common with age.
People older than 65 years should
have an annual examination. However, more frequent testing may be recommended
for those with certain risk factors, such as:
Ø
a
family history of eye disease
Ø
a
personal history of eye disease or injury
Ø
certain
medical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes
Ø
Taking
certain medications.
Ø
Get
your eyes tested every year. Adults who do not wear prescription glasses or
contact lenses should have an eye test every two years.
Advancing age is a significant
risk factor for osteoporosis in both men and women.
A bone
density test helps to determine the health of your bones. Generally
speaking, people over the age of 50 should be assessed for the need to have a
bone density test.
In order to stay in good health
and identify possible health issues at an early stage, it is important for
women to have regular health checks. There are a number of specific tests that
you should make part of your regular routine.
Breastcancer screening:
It’s recommended that women between the ages of 50–69 years to do a
mammography. There is no evidence that clinical examination or self-examination
offers any health benefits to women.
CervicalScreening Test: The
Pap test to detect human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, the main cause of
cervical cancer.
Health checks for prostate cancer:
It is not recommended that all men are routinely tested for prostate cancer, do
a PSA test. You will need to
consider the benefits, risks and uncertainties of testing, as well as your risk
of developing the disease.
Others:
Bowelcancer screening
– a simple test for signs of bowel cancer is recommended once every two years
if you are over 50
Osteoporosisscreening
– if you have risk factors for osteoporosis, you should check with your doctor
about screening. Risk factors can include long-term steroid use, low body
weight, smoking, heavy alcohol use or a family history of osteoporosis.
Thyroid
disease:
A very common condition in women, needed to detect TSH and T3 and T4 levels.
At Wockhardt Hospital we place a
great emphasis on the value Preventive care as an important speciality as
well. The service shifts the focus of
health care from treating sickness to maintaining wellness and good health. The
preventive health care packages, in the long run save your time and effort in
treating major illnesses.
The health packages at Wockhardt
hospital comprise of Basic HealthCheck-up, Premium Health Check-up and Executive Heath check-up. All our
packages have been carefully designed by a team of doctors for evaluation of
haematological, lipid profile, systemic profile, cancer profile (kidney, liver,
heart) and other diagnostic investigations taking into consideration common
disease affecting the Indian scenario.
The packages cater to specific
age groups and have a battery of recommended tests to choose from. Your
complete report is evaluated by our renowned and established consultants for
further management. The preventive health care packages are designed
encompassing a healthy lifestyle, exercise, diet and physical evaluation and
doctors’ advice.
To know more about our healthcheck-up packages and how you can avail the same please contact our centres at
Wockhardt Hospital.
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