Before the New Year, it remains to go through the “Health” check-up.
Snow fell - you can safely get a Christmas tree and start preparing for the New Year. Make a list of gifts and plans for 2017. Promise yourself this year for sure to reach the end of the list. What was there - sport two days a week? Salad for dinner every day? No fast food?
It seems, you can not rewrite the list, and only cross out the year and enter a new one.
And yet do not worry - there are still important things that you will have time to do this year. For example, undergo an annual survey . We promise, it will be reckoned for all the unfulfilled workouts, missed jogs and salads, in which you added an indecent lot of mayonnaise. About why to undergo screening and what problems regular check-ups and prevention can solve are in today's Atlas text.
The World Health Organization recommends that you contact your general practitioner once a year and at least conduct a general examination and check blood pressure, blood sugar and lipids, and body mass index. These very basic recommendations will identify at an early stage cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes and others. WHO provides a minimal list of examinations - in the expectation that the results of screening will be just enough to check the most common diseases.
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One of the arguments against check-ups is the insufficient evidence base that complex examinations improve quality and longevity. This is true - regular examinations are just beginning to enter the usual clinical practice, and so far not enough time has passed for the results of the checkup to prove themselves in the long term. A modern person is accompanied by many technologies, the harm or benefit of which is not yet sufficiently studied - each of us uses a smartphone, although there is no data on how this affects a person. Returning to the check-ups, it should be noted that the harm from examinations is also not proven - but the forecasts so far speak about the benefits of early diagnosis of diseases.
Another argument of criticism - surveys without indications lead to overdiagnosis. As a result of screening, problems that do not require active intervention can be detected. In this case, the doctor may begin treatment that does not help the patient, does not potentially improve his quality of life, or even harm him. Indeed, a prophylactic examination helps to identify small deviations from the norm that do not carry any risks, especially if the patient does not worry about them. Here the doctor plays a key role: he must interpret the test results and decide which actions are necessary. It is the doctor who weighs the potential risks and benefits of any intervention and selects the desired treatment option (or inaction) on the basis of evidence.
At the Atlas Clinic, we believe that a check-up is only a tool; and in the hands of an experienced, attentive and tactful specialist he benefits. Our specialists are guided by the principles of evidence-based medicine and use data from modern scientific research, so we are confident in their professionalism and safety of our patients.
We have expanded the minimum program recommended by WHO — in order for our patients to undergo a more modern health check and receive personalized preventive care. The Health check-in includes a complete list of tests, ultrasound and expert consultations.
Screening begins with a visit to the therapist who examines and interviews the patient and makes a detailed history. These data help our doctors to conduct sighting examinations and better navigate the organs and systems that are worth paying attention to.
Biochemical blood test is needed to assess the functions of vital organs and systems.
Total protein, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), ALT and AST - all of these indicators reflect the state of the liver and the inactivation system of toxins.
A blood test for cholesterol and other lipids (LDL, HDL, triglycerides) is used to assess the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack in the future. Prothrombin indicates blood clotting and the risk of thrombosis.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an indicator of inflammation. The level of uric acid is needed to assess the metabolism of purine bases: violations can cause deposits of uric acid crystals and joint pain, kidney damage. Urea and creatinine levels reflect kidney function. The content of glucose in the blood helps to identify violations of carbohydrate metabolism.
Complete blood count supplements the information obtained and reports data on the level of hemoglobin, red blood cells, platelets, leukocytes and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). These indicators may indicate iron-specific anemia and the overall level of inflammatory processes in the body.
If necessary, the therapist may prescribe a urinalysis - to further diagnose the condition of the kidneys and urinary system, if there are signs of inflammation or patient complaints.
Tests for tumor markers are not included in the mandatory program of the check-up and are appointed only if there are indications. We do not consider tumor markers a means of early diagnosis of oncological diseases, they are necessary to exclude relapses in the presence of an aggravated history.
According to the results of the patient's primary conversation with the therapist, the functional diagnosis doctor will know what to look for during an ultrasound of the internal organs . Duplex scanning of the great vessels will help check the condition of the arteries, assess the risk of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, and choose the appropriate prevention options.
Electrocardiography is necessary for screening severe heart disease. By the way, the Netherlands physiologist Willem Einthoven received the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1924 for the discovery of electrocardiography.
It should be noted here that by themselves, the results of an ECG or ultrasound scan have no value until they are described by the doctor. This avoids overdiagnosis and informs the patient only really important information.
After the meeting with the therapist, each patient will be examined by an ophthalmologist . An annual eye test is necessary for the screening of glaucoma, a serious illness that is almost asymptomatic. The ophthalmologist will recommend, if necessary, change glasses, and check the condition of the retinal vessels of the fundus. Changes may be associated with diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension.
An otolaryngologist is needed at the checkout to check the condition of the oral cavity, throat, nose and ears. That he should tell about self-treated otitis or nasal drops, the use of which became a habit. The ENT doctor will give preventive recommendations - you cannot even imagine how to improve the quality of life, proper breathing or sleep without snoring.
You can discuss any pain syndromes, including frequent headaches, with a neurologist and find the right pain medication. The doctor will conduct a detailed examination, assess the symptoms of disorders in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. In total, there are about two hundred types of headache, and not all of them should be taken off with aspirin.
Men can consult a urologist , and women - a gynecologist . An annual examination by a gynecologist is important for screening for cervical cancer - one of the most common cancers that can be prevented. At the consultation, a specialist will be able to assess the presence of clinical signs of infectious and inflammatory diseases, both in women and men. Confidence that everything is in order in this matter is a necessary condition for daily calm.
After all the consultations and tests, the patient will have a final conversation with the general practitioner. The specialist will tell you about the results of the screening and the recommended prophylaxis and transmit the report . All the checkout data will be available in your account on the Atlas website.
Sometimes an annual visit to the doctor is accompanied by a vague alarm: what will be the final cost after all the tests and consultations. Therefore, each additional examination responds with pain somewhere in the wallet area, which, however, you do not want to tell the doctor about. And the desire to get off as quickly as possible comes to the place of a quiet survey - first of all, in order to pay as little as possible.
Check-up at the Atlas clinic is an opportunity to undergo a full preventive examination at the initially known price. A set of examinations is selected taking into account the maximum benefit of screening for the patient. To make an annual check-up for you to take care of yourself, to all Geektimes readers we give a 30% discount on the Health check-up . The total amount of a comprehensive survey will be 19,600 rubles. The offer will be valid until the New Year - to activate it, just remind the clinical assistants that you learned about the promotion from the company's blog.
It seems, you can not rewrite the list, and only cross out the year and enter a new one.
And yet do not worry - there are still important things that you will have time to do this year. For example, undergo an annual survey . We promise, it will be reckoned for all the unfulfilled workouts, missed jogs and salads, in which you added an indecent lot of mayonnaise. About why to undergo screening and what problems regular check-ups and prevention can solve are in today's Atlas text.
WHO recommends
The World Health Organization recommends that you contact your general practitioner once a year and at least conduct a general examination and check blood pressure, blood sugar and lipids, and body mass index. These very basic recommendations will identify at an early stage cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes and others. WHO provides a minimal list of examinations - in the expectation that the results of screening will be just enough to check the most common diseases.
')
But some do not agree
One of the arguments against check-ups is the insufficient evidence base that complex examinations improve quality and longevity. This is true - regular examinations are just beginning to enter the usual clinical practice, and so far not enough time has passed for the results of the checkup to prove themselves in the long term. A modern person is accompanied by many technologies, the harm or benefit of which is not yet sufficiently studied - each of us uses a smartphone, although there is no data on how this affects a person. Returning to the check-ups, it should be noted that the harm from examinations is also not proven - but the forecasts so far speak about the benefits of early diagnosis of diseases.
Another argument of criticism - surveys without indications lead to overdiagnosis. As a result of screening, problems that do not require active intervention can be detected. In this case, the doctor may begin treatment that does not help the patient, does not potentially improve his quality of life, or even harm him. Indeed, a prophylactic examination helps to identify small deviations from the norm that do not carry any risks, especially if the patient does not worry about them. Here the doctor plays a key role: he must interpret the test results and decide which actions are necessary. It is the doctor who weighs the potential risks and benefits of any intervention and selects the desired treatment option (or inaction) on the basis of evidence.
At the Atlas Clinic, we believe that a check-up is only a tool; and in the hands of an experienced, attentive and tactful specialist he benefits. Our specialists are guided by the principles of evidence-based medicine and use data from modern scientific research, so we are confident in their professionalism and safety of our patients.
What begins chekap
We have expanded the minimum program recommended by WHO — in order for our patients to undergo a more modern health check and receive personalized preventive care. The Health check-in includes a complete list of tests, ultrasound and expert consultations.
Screening begins with a visit to the therapist who examines and interviews the patient and makes a detailed history. These data help our doctors to conduct sighting examinations and better navigate the organs and systems that are worth paying attention to.
Analyzes
Biochemical blood test is needed to assess the functions of vital organs and systems.
Total protein, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), ALT and AST - all of these indicators reflect the state of the liver and the inactivation system of toxins.
A blood test for cholesterol and other lipids (LDL, HDL, triglycerides) is used to assess the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack in the future. Prothrombin indicates blood clotting and the risk of thrombosis.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an indicator of inflammation. The level of uric acid is needed to assess the metabolism of purine bases: violations can cause deposits of uric acid crystals and joint pain, kidney damage. Urea and creatinine levels reflect kidney function. The content of glucose in the blood helps to identify violations of carbohydrate metabolism.
Complete blood count supplements the information obtained and reports data on the level of hemoglobin, red blood cells, platelets, leukocytes and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). These indicators may indicate iron-specific anemia and the overall level of inflammatory processes in the body.
If necessary, the therapist may prescribe a urinalysis - to further diagnose the condition of the kidneys and urinary system, if there are signs of inflammation or patient complaints.
Tests for tumor markers are not included in the mandatory program of the check-up and are appointed only if there are indications. We do not consider tumor markers a means of early diagnosis of oncological diseases, they are necessary to exclude relapses in the presence of an aggravated history.
Research
According to the results of the patient's primary conversation with the therapist, the functional diagnosis doctor will know what to look for during an ultrasound of the internal organs . Duplex scanning of the great vessels will help check the condition of the arteries, assess the risk of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, and choose the appropriate prevention options.
Electrocardiography is necessary for screening severe heart disease. By the way, the Netherlands physiologist Willem Einthoven received the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1924 for the discovery of electrocardiography.
It should be noted here that by themselves, the results of an ECG or ultrasound scan have no value until they are described by the doctor. This avoids overdiagnosis and informs the patient only really important information.
Specialist advice
After the meeting with the therapist, each patient will be examined by an ophthalmologist . An annual eye test is necessary for the screening of glaucoma, a serious illness that is almost asymptomatic. The ophthalmologist will recommend, if necessary, change glasses, and check the condition of the retinal vessels of the fundus. Changes may be associated with diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension.
An otolaryngologist is needed at the checkout to check the condition of the oral cavity, throat, nose and ears. That he should tell about self-treated otitis or nasal drops, the use of which became a habit. The ENT doctor will give preventive recommendations - you cannot even imagine how to improve the quality of life, proper breathing or sleep without snoring.
You can discuss any pain syndromes, including frequent headaches, with a neurologist and find the right pain medication. The doctor will conduct a detailed examination, assess the symptoms of disorders in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. In total, there are about two hundred types of headache, and not all of them should be taken off with aspirin.
Men can consult a urologist , and women - a gynecologist . An annual examination by a gynecologist is important for screening for cervical cancer - one of the most common cancers that can be prevented. At the consultation, a specialist will be able to assess the presence of clinical signs of infectious and inflammatory diseases, both in women and men. Confidence that everything is in order in this matter is a necessary condition for daily calm.
After all the consultations and tests, the patient will have a final conversation with the general practitioner. The specialist will tell you about the results of the screening and the recommended prophylaxis and transmit the report . All the checkout data will be available in your account on the Atlas website.
Sometimes an annual visit to the doctor is accompanied by a vague alarm: what will be the final cost after all the tests and consultations. Therefore, each additional examination responds with pain somewhere in the wallet area, which, however, you do not want to tell the doctor about. And the desire to get off as quickly as possible comes to the place of a quiet survey - first of all, in order to pay as little as possible.
Check-up at the Atlas clinic is an opportunity to undergo a full preventive examination at the initially known price. A set of examinations is selected taking into account the maximum benefit of screening for the patient. To make an annual check-up for you to take care of yourself, to all Geektimes readers we give a 30% discount on the Health check-up . The total amount of a comprehensive survey will be 19,600 rubles. The offer will be valid until the New Year - to activate it, just remind the clinical assistants that you learned about the promotion from the company's blog.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/369859/
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