The importance of medical check-ups: which tests and what benefits?

The everyday routine and hectic pace often lead us to neglect our health, so it may happen that we only turn to a doctor or specialist when symptoms or pains appear, which constitute a real alarm bell.

However, this preventive check-up, which includes a series of specific tests, can identify potential health problems before they become serious, allowing for timely intervention and more effective treatment.

The importance of a medical check-up cannot be underestimated: it represents an investment in our future health.

But what does it mean to undergo a complete check-up?

Prevention, savings, well-being (also psychological)

If, as the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure,” medical check-ups are an essential tool for disease prevention. These are simple analyses or periodic visits (read on) that allow doctors to identify and address potential health problems before they become serious.

By identifying diseases in the early stages, it is possible not only to solve every problem promptly but, secondarily but not insignificantly, also to reduce potential costs associated with long-term medical treatments.

Medical check-ups also provide an opportunity for the doctor to assess the patient’s health based on age, genetics, and lifestyle, allowing for personalized care.

What tests to undergo when it comes to check-ups?

Regardless of gender, age, or lifestyle, there are some tests that should be part of every medical check-up, here are some:

• Complete physical examination: includes measurement of parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and height. The doctor may also examine the skin, eyes, ears, nose, throat, lungs, abdomen, and reflexes to detect any abnormalities.
• Blood tests: can reveal a wide range of potential health problems, including anemia, infections, blood clotting disorders, kidney or liver diseases, and electrolyte imbalances.
• Urinalysis: can detect kidney problems, diabetes, and other conditions.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG): measures the heart’s electrical activity and can detect problems such as arrhythmias or ischemia.

Some tests are specific to the patient’s gender. Women should undergo a pelvic exam and a pap test to detect cervical cancer. After forty years of age, they should start having regular mammograms to detect breast cancer and, again, at the age of fifty, consider a test for colon cancer and a colonoscopy. For men, among various tests, it is worth mentioning the prostate exam and a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test starting from the age of fifty.

Lifestyle can also influence the type of check-up to consider. Smokers should request lung function tests and, starting at the age of fifty-five, annual screening for lung cancer through low-dose CT scans. Or, those who consume alcohol excessively should consider liver tests, such as transaminase testing. Furthermore, those who engage in risky sexual behavior cannot exempt themselves from undergoing regular tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

The importance of medical check-ups: which tests and what benefits?

The everyday routine and hectic pace often lead us to neglect our health, so it may happen that we only turn to a doctor or specialist when symptoms or pains appear, which constitute a real alarm bell.

However, this preventive check-up, which includes a series of specific tests, can identify potential health problems before they become serious, allowing for timely intervention and more effective treatment.

The importance of a medical check-up cannot be underestimated: it represents an investment in our future health.

But what does it mean to undergo a complete check-up?

Prevention, savings, well-being (also psychological)

If, as the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure,” medical check-ups are an essential tool for disease prevention. These are simple analyses or periodic visits (read on) that allow doctors to identify and address potential health problems before they become serious.

By identifying diseases in the early stages, it is possible not only to solve every problem promptly but, secondarily but not insignificantly, also to reduce potential costs associated with long-term medical treatments.

Medical check-ups also provide an opportunity for the doctor to assess the patient’s health based on age, genetics, and lifestyle, allowing for personalized care.

What tests to undergo when it comes to check-ups?

Regardless of gender, age, or lifestyle, there are some tests that should be part of every medical check-up, here are some:

Complete physical examination: includes measurement of parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and height. The doctor may also examine the skin, eyes, ears, nose, throat, lungs, abdomen, and reflexes to detect any abnormalities. Blood tests: can reveal a wide range of potential health problems, including anemia, infections, blood clotting disorders, kidney or liver diseases, and electrolyte imbalances. Urinalysis: can detect kidney problems, diabetes, and other conditions. Electrocardiogram (ECG): measures the heart’s electrical activity and can detect problems such as arrhythmias or ischemia.

Some tests are specific to the patient’s gender. Women should undergo a pelvic exam and a pap test to detect cervical cancer. After forty years of age, they should start having regular mammograms to detect breast cancer and, again, at the age of fifty, consider a test for colon cancer and a colonoscopy. For men, among various tests, it is worth mentioning the prostate exam and a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test starting from the age of fifty.

Lifestyle can also influence the type of check-up to consider. Smokers should request lung function tests and, starting at the age of fifty-five, annual screening for lung cancer through low-dose CT scans. Or, those who consume alcohol excessively should consider liver tests, such as transaminase testing. Furthermore, those who engage in risky sexual behavior cannot exempt themselves from undergoing regular tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

At MiniHospital “Sandro Pertini,” personalized check-ups can be performed, differentiated for each specific need. For more information, please contacts