Health check-up – Prevention is better than cure!
When was your last health checkup?
If you have to think hard to remember the answer, now might be a good time to consider one. In medicine, we often say that prevention is better than cure. A health check-up is a bit like regular maintenance on your car: it’s better to take action before the warning light comes on.
Depending on age and when signals accumulate. Several little aches and pains, a list of concerns, or numerous symptoms? This is often the right time to take a step back and have a complete health check-up.
What a health check really means
A health check-up is more than just a blood test. It involves a comprehensive assessment of your health, including a review of your personal and family history, a targeted physical examination, blood and urine tests, screening for diseases that may develop without symptoms (cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, among others), and personalized discussions about your lifestyle habits. Each check-up is tailored to your age, gender and reality.
How does an assessment work?
The process is simple and structured:
- Reviewing your history
- Physical examination
- Appropriate testing and screening
- Medical analysis of results
- Personalized clinical recommendations
The aim is clear: understand, prevent and act at the right time.
Why a check-up becomes essential after age 50
After the age of 50, a number of conditions can develop silently: cardiovascular disease, pre-diabetes, metabolic disorders, incipient cognitive decline or certain cancers.
In women, the hormonal transition can also influence metabolism, bone and cardiovascular health.
In men, hormonal and metabolic changes can set in gradually.
A check-up can help identify risk factors and adapt follow-up care before the consequences take hold.
After the check-up: real care
Yes, each patient’s results are analyzed by the physician. The physician, in collaboration with the assigned Clinical Nurse Practitioner (CNP), makes personalized recommendations. Follow-up is frequently offered to assess the effectiveness of advice, treatments or examinations, ensuring comprehensive care comparable to that of a family doctor.
A word from Dr. LeBlanc
I have in mind a patient in his late forties, with no obvious symptoms, but whose thorough check-up revealed high blood pressure and the beginnings of diabetes. Without this screening, the kidney complications could have worsened over the years. Thanks to early management, the progression of the disease was reversed: blood pressure stabilized, kidney health improved, and the patient regained energy and motivation. This case demonstrates the crucial importance of prevention, even in the absence of obvious symptoms.
