What is preventive medicine?
Preventive medicine focuses on the prevention and early detection of diseases, with the clear objective of improving patients’ quality of life. In other words, it focuses on knowing the individual characteristics of each patient with the aim of personalising and optimising their medical care and directing their lifestyle towards goals that will help to look after their health and prevent or delay the onset of diseases.
Disease prevention, diagnosis and early treatment are the best formula for a healthy and long life.
Why is preventive medicine important?
Preventive medicine can detect predisposition to certain diseases or very early stages of diseases. These include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer… It also contributes to healthy ageing.
Along with the different screening tests available, it is essential to acquire healthy habits, which include eating well, exercising and not smoking.
What preventive tests are available?
There are many tests aimed at disease prevention. In fact, some of these are already practiced and recommended in infants, and it is advisable to maintain this routine throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood. In this way, the specialist can identify risk factors for disease and discuss a plan for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The following services are available in preventive medicine:
● Blood tests to screen for diseases such as diabetes or high cholesterol levels.
● Blood pressure monitoring
● Cancer screening (colorectal, breast)
The role of genetics in preventive medicine
Genetics plays an important role in preventive medicine. Some of the tests to be highlighted are:
● Analysis of the risk of suffering from different types of cancer (colorectal, breast, ovarian, prostate…).
● Analysis of genetic variants in your DNA related to your metabolism and nutritional needs (nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics).
● Analysis of the risk of suffering from food intolerances (lactose, fructose, gluten).
● Analysis of the risk of suffering from certain types of cardiovascular diseases.
At Genosalut we have various preventive genetic tests available: cancer, nutrition and diet, cardiovascular risk…
If you like our blog, subscribe to our newsletter