NHS Health checks age 40

[Dancinginthelight]

Hello!

Hoping someone can tell me how these go as I approach 40. I have just turned 36 and have 2 little ones.

I understand when you turn 40 you are invited to a health check to assess your risk of various conditions etc.

I have a strong family history of early cardiovascular death (mother age 54 and maternal grandfather age 50) however I have two brothers both over 50 that are fine and mother has siblings in early 60’s also fine.

I do have health anxiety so I don’t want to jump the gun, but definitely want things assessed properly including possibly seeing a cardiologist for preventative measures etc.

So far my health is good. My BP, cholesterol etc are all good, no diabetes, but I’m unsure as to whether I will be able to have more advanced tests at this health check when I’m 40!

For example, there are some genetic things like lipoprotein (a) that I really should have checked given my family history. For my own sanity I’d rather wait until the health check rather than start investigating these things privately and scaring myself, but worried they won’t refer or do anything at said health check.

Are they just a formality or do they actually look to reduce your risk on a case by case basis?

I do these health checks, they are very, very basic. cholesterol and HBA1C blood test, questions about diet and activity, BP, height, weight and then a calculation of your risk score of developing CVD. They are only every 5 years, no referrals and are just to capture people who may need some lifestyle advice.

If you have a family history and concerns you need to discuss this with a GP, not wait for an NHS health check which, depending on patient numbers, you may not get an invite for until a few years over 40 anyway.

I’m 41 and never heard of this. I don’t know anyone who has been to one?

49, still waiting for mine

Thanks. So all that is given is lifestyle advice? Even if your risk is high after the tests?

Seems really pointless then!

Yes you will be invited by your practice.

There's a poster in my surgery for these checks but I've never been invited and neither has DH who is late 40's. They did ring DH for him to submit a blood pressure reading as they hadn't seen him in years, but that's all

If your risk is higher than can reasonably be managed by lifestyle changes they will progress you onto e.g. discussions about medication with a GP. They really are to catch people with for example high blood pressure but no symptoms, the sort of people who perhaps are rarely ill so never get these things done (I fall into this category and had a check recently, having not set foot in the surgery for several years before that). If you have a specific concern I would put in an e-consult and they will review your concerns.

It's not even a doctor- it's a physician associate, and yes, it's just weigh, measure, BP, cholesterol, how much do you drink/ smoke / exercise etc. and then he said "is there any point in me telling you to drink less?" and I was like "probably not". Then we cross bragged about our Parkrun times and it was the end. I imagine if all your markers came back high risk then you'd get a follow up from the GP, but a referral to a cardiologist if there's nothing actually majorly wrong with you isn't realistic.

To add, I think they are probably quite a good idea because as pp says, it would pick up risk factors in people who on the face of it are fairly healthy and not seeing a GP regularly, if ever, but it's just not going to do what you want it to.

I went to the one at 40. Total waste of time, so I’ve not been to any more. Was just simple weight/diet/blood pressure etc - nothing you couldn’t do yourself with £20 on amazon.
Can only conclude that the surgery gets paid well for this as there very pushy with the invites compared to actual GPs appointments being like hens teeth!

My markers were all fine apart from BP was borderline high and I got a follow up call from a GP (a nurse did my health check), asked to do a week of readings at home, brought in for ECG and urine testing and a recall to do more BP readings two months later, even though my overall risk was low. So it doesn't necessarily mean no follow up. I'm late 50s though.

Sign up for the long term study you will get all the checks

https://ourfuturehealth.org.uk/get-involved/taking-part/

So all that is given is lifestyle advice? Even if your risk is high after the tests?
Depends, if you have hypertension then you get medication to lower your bp and lifestyle advice, if your risk score is over 10% then you are offered statins along with the lifestyle advice. I’m just saying don’t rely on the nhs health check because it’s not going to give you a referral to a cardiologist, because there is nothing advanced about these health checks.

I’ve never heard of them and never been invited. I did have a health scare recently and ended up in hospital and I wonder if I could have pre-empted it if I had had these basic checks.

Also a good idea if you never go to the doctor. I’m thinking of someone like my elderly father who doesn’t go on principle.

It may have been a waste for you, but it wouldn't have been if they had found you had high BP, pre-diabetes etc. Most people don't measure their BP at home, many do not eat well or exercise regularly, they can be referred to exercise programmes etc.

They didn't do any blood sugar tests, just cholesterol and BMI.

My GP has never contacted me to offer this check. I did book it myself 3 times only to have the practice cancel each time and gave up. I was only really interested in the cholesterol test result as I knew everything else was fine.

Thanks.

I did mention my concerns to the GP when I was last pregnant but they said the referral wait for cardiology was long, I wouldn’t be seen, and it basically wasn’t worth it. They did an ECG and that was it!

The tests are soooooo basic. You tell them how much you drink / smoke/ exercise. They do bloods and weigh you.
Then, with me, they told me my cholesterol was high. Advice given - eat less meat and loose weight (I am an 8 stone vegan).
Utterly pointless.
If you want proper testing go to Bupa and get the 360 check. They do breast screening too.

Late 40's and also never heard of them or had one! I'm in Scotland so it might be different here. I know you get a bowel screening kit through the post for your 50th birthday but not heard of anything else.

I'm in my late 40s and have never been invited for one of these but as others have said they are really basic so I'm not bothered.

If you are concerned about anything don't wait for a health check, just book an appointment.

I'm 60 this year and have never been invited for a health check .

They only offer them if you aren't already seeing the GP for something else.

I'm prescribed regular meds so didn't get offered one.

DH went to his and was told he was delusional thinking he was moderately active 😂

They are designed to pick up hidden hypertension, smoking, excess alcohol, obesity, pre-diabetes.

Pay and get a full health MOT privately as @eqpi4t2hbsnktd said, there are lots available and I don't see any reason to wait for 40- though I'm not a healthcare professional.

Also just my opinion but I think 40 is a bit late in general because lots of people have already developed entrenched health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes/pre-diabetes by then. I'm in my 40s and I think it's better to get started on a healthy lifestyle in your 30s.

They don't seem to do 40+ ones in my county.
58 never had one. One of my friends had one at 62.