In your 30s — baseline and risk factor screening
Recommended health check-up tests for adults aged 30–39:
- ▸Full blood count (CBC): baseline; check for anaemia, infection, platelet disorders
- ▸Fasting glucose + HbA1c: diabetes risk assessment; especially important if BMI > 25 or family history
- ▸Lipid panel (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides): cardiovascular risk baseline; start in your 30s
- ▸Liver function (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin): baseline; especially if alcohol consumption or medications
- ▸Kidney function (creatinine, eGFR, urea): baseline renal health; check uric acid if at risk of gout
- ▸Thyroid (TSH): common and underdiagnosed in all ages; especially relevant for women
- ▸HIV and Hepatitis B/C test: recommended for all adults who haven't been tested; if vaccinated for HBV, check antibody levels
- ▸Blood pressure: at every check-up; pre-hypertension starts in the 30s for many
- ▸BMI + waist circumference: important metabolic risk markers
- ▸Women 30s: Pap smear every 3 years (or HPV co-test every 5 years); breast self-awareness; STI screening if indicated
- ▸Men 30s: testicular self-exam awareness; no PSA recommended routinely until 45+ (earlier with family history)
- ▸Bangkok estimated cost: ฿3,500–฿7,000 for this tier of tests
In your 40s — cardiovascular, metabolic, and early cancer screens
Recommended health check-up tests for adults aged 40–49:
- ▸All tests from the 30s tier (repeat annually or every 2 years depending on results)
- ▸ECG (electrocardiogram): baseline cardiac electrical activity; continue annually if any cardiovascular risk factors
- ▸Chest X-ray: annual if smoker or environmental exposure; every 2–3 years otherwise
- ▸Abdominal ultrasound: liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen — important to catch non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which peaks in the 40s
- ▸Cancer markers (CEA, AFP, CA125 for women, PSA for men from 45): begin cancer screening panel in the 40s; valuable as individual baseline
- ▸HbA1c: annually from 40+ even without diabetes symptoms
- ▸Vitamin D (25-OH): common deficiency especially in office workers who avoid sun; test every 2–3 years
- ▸Women 40s: mammogram (2D or 3D) starting at 40 annually (US ACS) or 45 (UK NHS from 50 but many guidelines now 40); pap smear or HPV test
- ▸Men 45+: PSA (prostate-specific antigen) — discuss with doctor; begin annual for those with family history from 40
- ▸Thyroid ultrasound: if any nodule suspected or abnormal TSH
- ▸Bangkok estimated cost: ฿7,000–฿15,000 for this comprehensive 40s tier
In your 50s — expanded cancer screening and specialist checks
Recommended health check-up tests for adults aged 50–59:
- ▸All 40s tier tests plus:
- ▸Colonoscopy (or FIT/stool test): colorectal cancer screening — most guidelines recommend colonoscopy from 50 (some from 45); Bangkok: ฿8,000–฿18,000 with sedation, results reviewed same day
- ▸Gastroscopy: recommended in high H. pylori prevalence populations (Asian guidelines) from 50+ or earlier with symptoms; stomach cancer screening
- ▸Cardiac stress test (treadmill ECG) or cardiac CT calcium score: cardiac risk stratification for men and women in 50s with any cardiovascular risk factors
- ▸DEXA bone density scan: recommended for all women from 50–55 (earlier if risk factors), men from 60 — add to your 50s check-up
- ▸Lung cancer low-dose CT: for current or former smokers 50–80 with 20+ pack-year history (USPSTF/NICE recommend annual)
- ▸PSA (men): annual monitoring; free PSA ratio if elevated; increasing importance in the 50s
- ▸Women 50–55: mammography now widely recommended by all guidelines annually; bone density DEXA
- ▸Thyroid reassessment: TSH every 2 years; ultrasound if nodule or goitre
- ▸Diabetes check: HbA1c annual; if pre-diabetes, enhanced monitoring
- ▸Bangkok estimated cost for 50s comprehensive tier: ฿12,000–฿25,000
In your 60s and beyond — senior screening and ongoing monitoring
Recommended health check-up tests for adults aged 60+ in Bangkok:
- ▸All 50s tier tests (frequency adjustments based on individual results):
- ▸DEXA bone density: all women, all men from 60–65 — annual or every 2 years depending on T-score
- ▸Cognitive assessment: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) or MMSE — baseline in early 60s; repeat if any concerns
- ▸Eye pressure (tonometry): glaucoma screening from 60+ annually or every 2 years; vision check
- ▸Hearing assessment: audiogram from 60–65; significant hearing loss affects quality of life and is treatable
- ▸Abdominal aortic ultrasound: for men 65–75 who have ever smoked — one-time screen for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)
- ▸Full cardiac assessment: echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) to check for structural disease; coronary CT or stress test
- ▸Annual flu vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, shingles vaccine (Shingrix): vaccine preventable diseases matter more after 60
- ▸HbA1c monitoring: quarterly if diabetic, annually if normal/pre-diabetic
- ▸Kidney function: annual eGFR — kidney disease common with age, hypertension, or diabetes
- ▸Annual skin check: dermatoscopy for skin cancer screening, particularly for fair-skinned expats
- ▸Bangkok estimated cost for 60+ senior comprehensive tier: ฿15,000–฿35,000
- ▸Bangkok hospitals with dedicated senior check-up programmes: Bumrungrad International, Samitivej Sukhumvit, Bangkok Hospital — all offer senior-specific packages with geriatric physician option