The short version
- Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and waist tell most of the story
- None of them cause symptoms until something has gone wrong
- A Heart Health Check is available from 45, or 30 for First Nations men
- One long appointment covers the lot, and it is bulk billed
Why this list is short
Most of what shortens men's lives early is cardiovascular, and most cardiovascular risk sits in a handful of measurements that take minutes to obtain. They share one inconvenient feature: not one of them produces a symptom until the damage is done.
1. Blood pressure
The single largest contributor to stroke risk, and it is silent. It should be checked at least every two years, and annually if it has ever been borderline. See our article on what the numbers mean.
2. Cholesterol
A blood test measuring total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. On its own the number means less than people think — it is used alongside your age, blood pressure, smoking status and diabetes status to calculate an overall cardiovascular risk.
That combined figure is far more useful than any single value, and it is what treatment decisions are actually based on.
3. Blood sugar
Type 2 diabetes develops over years without symptoms. By the time thirst and frequent urination appear, it has usually been present for some time. A fasting glucose or HbA1c picks it up earlier, when lifestyle change still has the most leverage — and pre-diabetes is a genuine opportunity rather than a diagnosis to ignore.
4. Waist
Not weight — waist. Fat carried around the abdomen is more metabolically active and carries more risk than the same weight elsewhere. Measure at the navel, standing, after breathing out normally. Above 94cm indicates increased risk for men, and above 102cm substantially increased.
The appointment itself
Ask for a long appointment and say it is for a health check. It covers the measurements, a blood test, and a conversation about sleep, alcohol, energy, mood and anything you have been quietly wondering about — prostate and urinary symptoms, sexual function, or a lump you have been ignoring.
From 45 (or 30 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men) you may be eligible for a Heart Health Check, which combines the lot into a five-year risk percentage.
“I haven't seen a doctor in ten years” is a completely normal way to start, and nobody here will make an issue of it. See men's health.
Common questions
Blood pressure at least every two years, and cholesterol and blood sugar as advised based on your age and risk. A Heart Health Check is available from 45, or 30 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
No. The point of these measurements is that they change before symptoms appear.
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