Scans and health check ups are an essential aspect of preventative medicine. Many potentially life-threatening diseases and conditions have already progressed too far by the time overt symptoms develop. For this reason, early detection is a crucial part of staying healthy.

A cardiac stress test is a useful means of uncovering warning signs of a potential heart attack. The test measures arterial blood flow both while the subject is resting and while undergoing physical exertion. As heart attacks often strike with little warning, this type of test is valuable to those who fear they may be at risk of cardiac arrest.

Heart arrhythmia tests are another important health check for those who may have heart problems. In this diagnostic, electrodes are placed in the heart chamber to collect data and stimulate a latent arrhythmia. Those who test positive for significant heart arrhythmia are candidates for pacemakers and defibrillators.

MRI (magnetic resonance imagery) scans and CT (computed tomography) scans are both forms of medical imaging that allow doctors to take a look at problem areas without making incisions. The MRI is valued as a safer alternative to the X-ray while the CT scan produces a three dimensional image by compositing numerous two dimensional scans.

There are several health checks that are important specifically to specific genders. Men over the age of 50 are encouraged to have annual prostate exams while women between the ages of 40 and 50 are encouraged to begin scheduling regular mammograms.

Following a scheduled health check or diagnostic scan, the medical professional may refer to the patient to a specialist or encourage lifestyle changes. The scans themselves are rarely invasive and recovery time is not an issue.