A range of routine health tests form part of an NHS Health Check. The results will give you and your health professional a clearer picture of your health and your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease or type 2 diabetes.
You can learn more about these conditions in Why these four diseases?
The tests involved are quick, simple and carried out by a healthcare professional. If you have your check at your local GP surgery, it's likely to be your practice nurse or healthcare assistant who carries out the tests. Some local pharmacies will also offer the check. In this case, your pharmacist or another trained member of staff will perform them.
Your personal history
Some people are more likely to develop vascular disease than others. Therefore, the check will involve a brief personal history and a review of some key personal details, such as:
- age: older people are at an increased risk
- ethnicity: some ethnic groups, for example, south Asians and Afro-Caribbeans, are at an increased risk
- smoking status: smokers are at increased risk
- family history: if there's a history of these diseases in your family, then you're at an increased risk
- physical activity: people who are physically inactive are at an increased risk
The tests
In addition to this review, a health professional will carry out a few routine tests:
- Cholesterol test. Cholesterol is a vital fat for the proper functioning of your body. There are two kinds of cholesterol and too much of one kind in the blood can narrow the arteries, which can lead to vascular disease. Your health professional will take a sample of blood from your arm or thumb and test it for cholesterol. Read more about the cholesterol test in Your Cholesterol test.
- Blood pressure test. This is the pressure that your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as it moves through them. High blood pressure can weaken the walls of your arteries, increasing the risk of blockage or breaking, which can lead to heart disease, stroke and vascular kidney disease. If your blood pressure is found to be high, you will be offered a blood test to check the function of your kidneys. You may also be offered a test to check your risk of developing diabetes. Read more in Your blood pressure test.
- Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a measure of whether you are a healthy weight for your height. People who are overweight are more likely to develop vascular disease. Read more in Your BMI.
- Diabetes risk assessment. Diabetes occurs when the hormone insulin, which converts sugar in energy, doesn't work properly. This results in a build-up of sugar in the blood, which can result in a wide range of serious health problems. Left unmanaged, diabetes can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Your health professional will take your personal history and blood pressure and BMI test results into account to assess whether you're at an increased risk of developing diabetes. If so, you will be offered further tests to check the level of sugar in your blood. If your blood sugar is high, you will be offered an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test to check for diabetes. Read more in Diabetes.
