30 September 2024

Routine Health Check

Having a medical check up is quite important to ensure overall health conditions. You can do this examination according to the doctor's recommendation.

Purpose of Medical Check Up
A medical check up (MCU) is an examination that can help determine your overall health status. It can also provide an opportunity to talk to a doctor about any complaints or symptoms you are experiencing.

• Checking for possible diseases, so that you can get treatment early

• Identifying any problems that may become medical problems in the future

• Updating your immunizations or vaccinations that you need

• Track any changes in your physical health

• Determining if further tests are needed for initial examinations before surgery or other medical procedures

A medical check up is a good way to check your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. All three levels are often high without you realizing it, or showing symptoms. With regular health checks, you can treat this condition before it gets worse.

Types of Medical Check Up
The types of examinations in a medical check up will usually be according to your needs. Before you do various examinations, medical personnel usually start by measuring your height and weight.

1. Heart electrical function examination (Electrocardiography/ECG)
   ECG is one of the examinations that you usually do during a medical check-up.

2. Radiology examination
   This test will use X-rays and aims to check for disease through photos or images.

3. Laboratory examination
   There are several types of tests that you can do in a laboratory examination to do a medical check-up, namely:
   - Hematology examination
   - Urine examination
   - Feces examinatio

4. Cholesterol check
   A cholesterol check is also one of the important examinations in a medical check-up. This is because high cholesterol can trigger various serious problems, such as heart disease and stroke.

5. Blood sugar test
   A blood sugar test will usually take place after fasting for at least 8 hours beforehand.

6. Liver function test
   You will do this examination by checking the levels of enzymes and proteins from your blood sample. This is important for detecting and monitoring the development of liver disease.

7. Kidney function test
   Here are some types of tests to check kidney function:
   - Urea or blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
   - Urine test
   - Glomerular filtration rate
   - Blood creatinine

8. Pap smear
   A Pap smear is a special health check for women to screen for cervical cancer.

9. Prostate screening
   Another examination in a medical check-up is a prostate health check for men who have entered the age of 50 years.

10. Lung function test
    This health check applies to both women and men. Especially if you have a habit of actively smoking, a CT scan of the lungs needs to be done to ensure the health of the lungs.

11. Vaccination completeness check
    If there is a missed vaccination, you can ask your general practitioner directly about vaccination recommendations that are appropriate for your age and health conditions.

Preparation before Medical Check Up
After making an appointment for a medical check up, there are several things you need to do as preparation, namely:

• List of medications you are currently taking

• Results of recent or relevant tests

• List of medical and surgical history

• Names and contact information for other doctors you may have seen recently

• A list of questions you want to ask your doctor

• The doctor or medical staff will usually inform you in advance if fasting is necessary

• If you are unsure, ask the medical staff, hospital, or laboratory where the medical check up is taking place

• Also make sure to wear comfortable and easy-to-open clothes for the examination later

• Avoid wearing excessive jewelry, makeup, or other accessories, so as not to interfere with the results of the examination

Reviewed by: dr. Innosensius Ibnu Ishwara, M.K.K.

Source: Halodoc Health Article

Photo: freepik.com