Many people are at risk for diseases such as stroke and heart disease but experience no symptoms. Early detection and control can prevent major consequences down the road.

This is a personal decision, based on your risk factors and family history. For example, the National Stroke Association states that your risk of stroke increases with age and doubles every decade after age 55. We generally recommend vascular screening beginning at age 50; however, if you have diabetes, or a family history of stroke, heart disease, or AAA, talk to your doctor about getting screened after age 40.

Everyone needs a health checkup, no matter how healthy an individual is. The most common causes of premature death in the world are due to heart, lung, bowel, kidney disease and cancer. Early detection is an important form of disease prevention. Getting a checkup periodically is a good step to staying healthy always. It is recommended to have a health checkup at an early age for those with a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol or heart disease and also for individuals who have a smoking habit or with any of the health risk behaviors.