Most health systems cover more screening than people use: check-ups, skin, bowel, breast, prostate, teeth, vaccinations. Which test is due at which age, what it delivers and how to get it into the calendar.
In short
- From 18 dental care and vaccination status, from 35 the general check-up every few years and skin cancer screening.
- From 45 to 50 bowel cancer screening with stool test or colonoscopy, mammography for women from 50, prostate from 45 for men.
- Participation rates sit at 20 to 50 percent; the tests are usually free or covered.
- Also sensible: blood pressure at home, blood values yearly from 50, eye pressure from 40.
From 18: teeth and vaccinations
Two dental check-ups a year, a professional cleaning where covered. Periodontitis is not just a dental problem: it raises inflammation markers and cardiovascular risk. Check vaccination status: tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis every ten years, measles for those born after 1970 without two doses, flu yearly from 60 or with chronic disease, pneumococcus from 60, shingles from 50 or 60 depending on the system.
From 35: check-up and skin
A general health check every two to three years covers history, physical examination, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, urine and a counselling talk. Skin cancer screening every one to two years looks at the whole body; melanomas found early are almost always curable. Whoever has many moles or a history of sunburn goes yearly. Once from 35 a test for hepatitis B and C makes sense.
From 45 to 50: bowel, breast, prostate
Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer and 90 percent preventable when precursors are removed early. Most systems offer colonoscopy every ten years from 45 or 50, alternatively a stool test every one to two years. With bowel cancer in the family, earlier. Women from 50 to 75 are invited to mammography every one to two years, from 20 the yearly gynecological exam with smear, from 30 the breast exam. Men from 45 can have the prostate exam; the PSA test is a personal decision from 50 to discuss with the doctor.
From 65: aorta and more
Men from 65 get a one-time ultrasound of the abdominal aorta to find an aneurysm. Plus fall prevention, hearing test and eye exam, because hearing and sight in old age co-decide dementia and independence.
What is not on the list but sensible
Blood pressure at home, once a quarter for a week, morning and evening. Blood values yearly from 50, including vitamin D in winter. Eye pressure from 40 every two years against glaucoma. A fitness test: grip strength, one-leg stand, rising from a chair. And the dentist who spots periodontitis early.
Try it
Blood Test CheckCholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, glucose, HbA1c, vitamin D, ferritin, TSH, CRP, blood pressure: each value with a traffic light and explanation.Fitness Age CalculatorResting heart rate, push-ups, one-leg stand, flexibility and grip strength: how old your body is functionally, in years.Longevity ScoreTwelve questions about sleep, movement, food, stress and habits: your estimated biological age and the three levers with the biggest effect.Frequently asked questions
Is a colonoscopy bad?
The preparation with laxative solution the day before is unpleasant, the exam itself is usually done under light sedation and takes 20 minutes. It lowers bowel cancer risk for ten years by over 60 percent.
Is the PSA test worth it?
It finds prostate cancer early, but also many cases that would never have caused problems. Men from 50 should discuss it with their doctor, with family risk from 45. A single value is no verdict, the trend counts.
Are check-ups really covered?
In most systems the general check-up is covered at set intervals. Extra values like vitamin D or ApoB usually cost 10 to 30 euros or dollars privately and are worth it.
This article is general information and not medical advice. If you have symptoms or existing conditions, or before changing any medication, talk to your doctor.
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