Preventative Testing Could Save Your Life

According to the Heart Foundation of South Africa we suffer heart attacks every 12 minutes! It is also estimated that 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women will suffer from heart disease before the age of 60. It is also estimated that about 130 heart attacks and about 240 strokes occur daily, with a ¼ of these resulting in death! Major risk factors for heart disease include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity and genetic inheritance (in the family).

Considering the above, it is imperative that individuals ensure they have medical cover that pays for preventative testing. Ideally this should include an annual dental check-up and general health assessment that measures parameters such as blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, as well as body fat percentage. For ladies this should include pap smears and, depending on your age, mammograms and bone density scans. Some schemes even encourage healthy behaviour by incentivising individuals to be more active, undergo proactive check-ups and so forth.