Longevity starts with prevention, why pursue it?

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At Momentum Clinic, we view health as a long-term process with the goal of not only extending life expectancy, but more importantly, ensuring its quality. The Healthy Longevity approach focuses on healthy aging with an emphasis on prevention and individualized care. We combine modern medical methods with innovative approaches such as infusion therapy, hormone optimization and biohacking to help you achieve and maintain vitality at any age.

Why is prevention key?

Prevention is the cornerstone of healthy longevity. Regular preventive check-ups and early diagnosis can prevent a number of serious diseases and enable their treatment in the early stages, when the effectiveness of therapy is highest. Yet men often overlook the importance of prevention, leading to many health problems going undetected at a time when treatment is easier and less invasive.

Lifespan vs. healthspan

According to data from 2020, the average life expectancy (lifespan) in the Czech Republic was 77 years.

However, the healthy life expectancy (healthspan) was only 62 years.

There is a 15 year difference between these figures.

Source : www.nzip.cz

Health risks of neglecting preventive care

The health of men after forty requires specific attention. The most common risks include cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and hormonal imbalances. Early diagnosis can greatly increase the chances of successful treatment:

Prostate cancer: thanks to regular tests such as PSA, the disease can be detected at an early stage, with a treatment success rate of up to 98% and a reduction in the risk of death of more than 50%.
Cardiovascular disease: men are more at risk of heart attack and stroke. Regular monitoring of blood pressure and cholesterol levels helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 20-30%.
Type II diabetes: early detection and lifestyle changes can delay or even prevent the development of diabetes by up to 50%.
Colorectal cancer: regular tests for occult bleeding contribute significantly to reducing mortality. Detection at an early stage is essential for treatment success rates in excess of 90%.

Preventive care in the Czech Republic: an alarming reality

Analysis of preventive examinations in the Czech Republic reveals a long-term low participation of the adult population, especially men. Although prevention plays a key role in the early detection of serious diseases, less than 40% of men receive preventive examinations. Overall, only 57.5% of the population attends.

The main problems of current preventive care

1. Insufficient frequency: after intensive care in childhood and adolescence, the frequency of preventive examinations in adulthood is significantly reduced. Adults are recommended to see a doctor only once every two years, which is inadequate in view of the workload, stress and risks of civilisation diseases. For men over 40, when the incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer increases significantly, this frequency is quite inadequate.

2. Outdated scope of examinations: the currently valid Decree No. 70/2012 Coll. defines preventive examinations only at the level of basic laboratory tests, family history, blood pressure measurement, weight or orientation tests. This scope does not take into account the individuality of the patient, nor does it reflect current medical knowledge and the needs of the modern population. This is hardly to be expected from a twenty-year-old legal standard.

3. Lack of GPs: preventive care is the responsibility of GPs, but this specialty faces long-term staff shortages hence the negative impact on access to care, increased waiting times and reduced surgery hours. More than 30% of doctors are over 65 years old and the average age is 56 years old, which can significantly reduce the ability to actively pursue the latest diagnostic methods, approaches and modern trends in medicine.

The path to change

For prevention to really work, it is necessary to:

Improve the availability and frequency of screenings, especially for at-risk groups such as men over 40.
Expand the scope of screening according to the latest medical knowledge.
Invest in modernising the GP system, including recruiting young doctors and increasing the capacity of surgeries.

Preventive care is not a luxury, but an essential pillar of a healthy life. It is time to give it the attention it deserves and to create a system that reflects the needs of today's society.

28. 11. 2024

Mgr. Jiří Schnabl

Comprehensive care at Momentum Clinic

At Momentum Clinic we offer preventive programs tailored to your age, lifestyle and needs. We provide in-depth diagnostics and personalized care with an emphasis on Healthy Longevity in a discreet and comfortable environment with top specialists. Unlike routine checkups, we offer everything you need in just a few visits a year to provide a comprehensive overview of your health.

Longevity and vitality are no accident. Come to Momentum Clinic and start your journey to a healthy, quality life today.