Preventative medicine, Johannesburg
A comprehensive preventative health assessment.
A structured medical review of your current health, family history and future disease risk, with investigations chosen because they are likely to change something.
In short
A preventative health assessment reviews current health, family history and future disease risk, then selects evidence-based screening and investigations according to age, sex, symptoms, medication, family history and existing risk. The aim is not to run every available test, but to identify actionable risks early and leave with a clear plan. Some people need only a focused set of investigations; others benefit from a broader cardiovascular, metabolic or hormonal assessment.
Medically reviewed by Dr Arnav Kapur, MBBCh Cum Laude
The approach
Understand first. Then treat.
A good preventative assessment is mostly a conversation. History, family history, medication, symptoms, sleep, activity, alcohol, stress and previous results determine what is worth measuring. Tests follow the clinical questions rather than the other way round.
The output matters as much as the inputs. By the end you should understand which risks apply to you, which of them are modifiable, what the next investigation or treatment step is, and when to be reviewed. A long list of results without that plan is of little use.
What the assessment can include
- Full medical, family, medication and lifestyle history
- Blood pressure and cardiovascular risk estimation
- Lipid panel, with ApoB or lipoprotein(a) where appropriate
- Glucose, HbA1c and diabetes risk assessment
- Body composition, waist measurement and muscle assessment
- Kidney and liver markers
- Sleep quality and screening for obstructive sleep apnoea risk
- Thyroid function and other hormonal assessment where clinically relevant
- Age-appropriate and risk-appropriate cancer screening
- Vaccination and other preventive-care prompts where relevant
- Bone health assessment where appropriate
- Escalation to specialist endocrinology or another specialty when indicated
Start with risk, not a test menu
Packaged health checks tend to test everyone identically, which produces findings of no consequence for some people while missing what matters for others. We work the other way round: establish the clinical questions from history, examination and existing results, then choose the investigations that can answer them. This keeps the assessment proportionate and makes the results easier to act on.
Cardiovascular and metabolic prevention
These two areas account for a large share of preventable illness, so they receive particular attention. Blood pressure, lipids, glucose regulation, kidney function, waist measurement and body composition are assessed together rather than as isolated numbers, with ApoB, lipoprotein(a) or a coronary calcium score added only where they are likely to change the treatment decision. Where prediabetes, hypertension or dyslipidaemia is identified, management begins immediately rather than waiting for a further threshold to be crossed.
Screening should match the person
Established screening is one of the most valuable things preventative medicine offers, provided it is applied to the right people. Cancer screening, diabetes screening, bone-density assessment and cardiovascular testing are chosen by age, sex, family history, symptoms and individual risk. Newer or advanced tests may add information in selected patients, but they complement validated pathways rather than replacing them, and testing without a plan for the result is avoided.
Turn results into an action plan
Results are reviewed in person and explained in context, including what is normal, what is borderline and what is genuinely important. From there we agree the priorities: treatment where it is indicated, specific nutrition, activity and sleep changes, further investigation where a finding needs clarifying, referral where a problem sits outside our scope, and a defined review interval. Where specialist endocrinology is needed, patients can be escalated to Dr Sindeep Bhana within the same practice.
Common questions
Answers before you book.
Is this the same as an annual check-up?
It overlaps, but it is broader and more deliberate. A routine check-up often means a fixed set of tests. A preventative assessment estimates your actual risk across cardiovascular, metabolic, hormonal, screening and lifestyle domains, then selects investigations accordingly and produces a written plan.
Do I need every advanced test?
No, and we would advise against it. Advanced testing is worthwhile when the result can clarify risk or change management. Tests performed without that purpose generate incidental findings, anxiety and further investigation without improving your health.
Can I bring previous blood results?
Please do. Previous results, scans, discharge summaries and a list of current medication are genuinely useful. They often show a trend that a single new result cannot, and they help avoid repeating tests unnecessarily.
What if something abnormal is found?
It is explained in context and acted on. Some findings need only a repeat measurement or monitoring; others need treatment, further investigation or specialist referral. You will know what the finding means, what happens next and who is responsible for that step.
This page provides general health information and does not replace individual medical assessment. Screening, investigations and treatment are selected according to personal risk, medical history and clinical findings.
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- Cardiovascular Risk Assessment
- Insulin Resistance
- Advanced Diagnostics
- Specialist Endocrinology
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Centre of Advanced Medicine, 13 Scott St, Waverley, Johannesburg
Monday to Friday, 07:40 to 17:00
011 440 8721