At certain ages, every adult is advised to undergo preventive health check-ups to make sure and gain peace of mind that everything is fine with their health, or to detect any adverse changes at an early stage. These state-funded examinations are available to anyone who wishes to have a preventive health check-up and are provided outside the general appointment waiting list. What examinations are available, and how can you arrange them? The National Health Service (NHS) has compiled information on all state-funded preventive examinations available to residents of Latvia.
PREVENTIVE CHECK-UP WITH A FAMILY DOCTOR
If a person has not visited their family doctor during the year in connection with an illness, they may undergo a state-funded preventive check-up during that year. To arrange the check-up, the patient should contact their family doctor’s practice and agree on a convenient date and time for the appointment. No patient co-payment is required for this preventive check-up – it is fully funded by the state.
During the preventive check-up, the family doctor listens to the patient’s concerns, assesses their health and, where necessary, performs:
- blood pressure and pulse measurements;
- assessment of body weight, height, skin and mucous membranes;
- examination of the heart and lungs using a stethoscope;
- examination and palpation of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin;
- assessment of vision, hearing, mental status, sensation, movement and neurological functions;
- assessment of the thyroid gland;
- abdominal palpation;
- and other examinations and procedures.
Following the check-up, the family doctor may recommend additional examinations or consultations with medical specialists, or provide recommendations on aspects of the patient’s health that should receive greater attention in the future.
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH CHECK-UP
For patients aged 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65, the risk of cardiovascular disease is also assessed according to the SCORE method during the preventive family doctor check-up described above. Where necessary, the assessment includes reviewing the patient’s cardiovascular and smoking history, measuring blood pressure and body mass index, determining total cholesterol, low-density and high-density cholesterol and triglyceride levels, listening to the heart and carotid arteries, and assessing an electrocardiogram.
According to data from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, every adult in Latvia has an average of three risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease. The most common risk factors are smoking, arterial hypertension (high blood pressure) and elevated blood cholesterol levels.
DIABETES SCREENING
As part of the annual preventive check-up with a family doctor, certain patients without risk factors for diabetes are also eligible for a state-funded fasting venous plasma glucose test. The test is performed for patients at the age of 40 and once every three years for those aged 45 to 72.
However, if during the preventive check-up the family doctor determines that the patient is overweight (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m²) and has at least one additional risk factor, or if borderline hyperglycaemia was identified during a previous glucose test, a fasting venous plasma glucose test should be performed every year.
CANCER SCREENING
The cancer prevention programme organised by the NHS includes screening for cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer. Regular screening is very important because precancerous changes often do not cause any complaints or symptoms, meaning that a person may not even realise that a disease is developing, explains the NHS. If no abnormalities are detected, screening provides reassurance about a person’s health. If a disease is detected, however, treatment can be started at an early stage.
Cancer Screening by Invitation Letter
Women of certain ages receive invitation letters for cervical or breast cancer screening. These letters also serve as referrals for the screening service. Upon receiving the letter, an appointment should be made at one of the healthcare institutions offering the service. Both the doctor’s appointment and the preventive examination are fully funded by the state.
For cervical cancer screening, women aged 25 to 29 receive an invitation once every three years, while women aged 30 to 70 receive an invitation once every five years. This is because a new and more effective testing method – the HPV test – was introduced in 2025. If the HPV test result is negative, the next screening is scheduled after five years, as the risk of developing cancer during this period is very low.
For breast cancer screening, invitation letters are sent to women aged 50 to 68 once every two years.
These invitation letters are sent approximately three months after the person’s birthday, either by post to their declared residential address or to their official e-address on Latvija.gov.lv, if one has been created.
Cancer Screening Through Your Family Doctor’s Practice
Family doctor practices organise two types of cancer screening – colorectal cancer screening for women and men, and prostate cancer screening for men.
State-funded colorectal cancer screening is recommended once every two years for women and men aged 50 to 74. To undergo the preventive examination, the patient should first contact their family doctor’s practice, where they will receive a test kit for detecting occult blood in the stool. The test is completed at home using a sample from a single bowel movement. The completed test must then be returned to the family doctor’s practice or taken to the nearest “Central laboratory” branch for analysis. Importantly, there is no longer any need to follow specific dietary restrictions before taking the test because a new type of test is now used, according to the NHS.
Colorectal cancer develops in the cells that form the intestinal wall. Initially, benign growths known as polyps develop, which, if left untreated, may progress into a malignant disease – colorectal cancer. These changes usually occur over a period of 10 to 20 years. Polyps or colorectal cancer in its early stages generally do not cause any symptoms or complaints. According to data from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, this is why approximately half of patients are unfortunately diagnosed at a late stage.
The second preventive examination organised by family doctor practices is prostate cancer screening. It involves a specific blood test once every two years for all men aged 50 to 75. Screening is also recommended once every two years for men aged 45 to 50 if a blood relative has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. To undergo the examination, the patient should contact their family doctor’s practice and make an appointment. During the visit, the patient will receive a referral for a blood sample to be taken so that the laboratory can determine the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), explains the NHS.
Prostate cancer is the most common tumour of the male urinary and reproductive systems and the second most common malignant tumour among men over the age of 40. The risk of developing the disease doubles if a relative has had prostate cancer. If two close relatives have had prostate cancer, the risk may increase by as much as nine times.