Some people may say, “I’m healthy so I don’t need to see my doctor.” However, good health comes from getting medical care when you need it AND from preventing health problems before they start.
During a preventive checkup, doctors can give potentially life-saving screenings that help detect conditions, such as high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes, which can significantly raise a person’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
According to Dr. Shawn West, medical director at Premera, most people have heard about these common health conditions, but few may know they are completely preventable (as well as treatable) when diagnosed early.
Early detection of potential health risks
“Screenings conducted at an annual checkup enable doctors to address health issues before they start, so a patient can make minor changes now, before their health has been compromised,” says Dr. West.
For example, during a routine checkup a doctor may screen for diabetes. When detected early (called pre-diabetes glucose intolerance), a person can make lifestyle changes—such as eating healthy food and losing weight—which can help restore blood glucose levels to normal, and may prevent the need for a lifetime taking medication.
“Some health conditions have few outward symptoms and when undetected, become more serious over time,” West says. “That’s another reason why the preventive checkup is so important, so we can see a patient regularly to understand what’s changing in their health overall, and not just when they are sick.”
One example of an underreported health condition is sleep apnea (OSA), which causes frequent pauses in breathing (and lack of oxygen) during sleep and longer-term strain on the heart. According to the National Institutes of Health, 12 million Americans have OSA but many don’t even know they have it.
According to Dr. West, “a patient may not have symptoms other than sleepiness, but when we diagnose it early, we’re not only helping a patient breathe and sleep much better, we’re also treating a major risk factor in the future, such as heart disease.”
Checkup Tips
- Call customer service (number is on your ID card) before you schedule a visit to learn what your costs will be.
- Discuss with your doctor about which preventive screenings are right for you—based on age, gender, lifestyle and family history. Understand why you have various tests and how often. If you are seeing a new doctor, tell them when you had your last preventive exam.
- Don’t come into your preventive visit with a long list of health problems. “If you have concerns, don’t save them for your preventive checkup. You and your doctor won’t have time to address them adequately during that appointment,” says Dr. West.
- Know these three numbers like you know your phone number: blood pressure, blood sugar, and LDL cholesterol. When you know the numbers, you can check to keep them within a healthy range or alert your doctor if there are any major changes. You can easily check blood pressures at a pharmacy or fire station, and blood sugar and cholesterol can often be checked at health fairs, or when you see your doctor.