After a couple of hours I’d been thoroughly MOT-ed by an ECG
heart check, a blood pressure monitor and a breast exam. We
discussed my insomnia and investigated both my hearing and
cholesterol levels. My risk of diabetes was rock bottom and my
liver seemed to be holding up despite everything I’ve thrown at
it over the years. I relaxed, safe in the knowledge that
everything’s ticking along nicely. However the findings of a
study in Scandinavia suggest when it comes to detecting heart
disease or cancer, check-ups can lull patients into a false
sense of security. The Danish researchers studied 14 long-term
medical trials over nine years. Some of the 180,000 participants
were offered regular health checks while others weren’t. Most
trials showed no difference in ensuing death rates. Heart
disease and cancer caused the same number of deaths in those who
had check-ups as in those who hadn’t. Even when conditions were
swiftly diagnosed and drugs prescribed there was no significant
difference in longevity. “There is o