What are the precautions for physical examination

The main precautions for physical examination include fasting, avoiding vigorous exercise, wearing loose clothing, discontinuing some medications, and informing chronic medical history.

1. Fasting:

It is usually necessary to fast for 8-12 hours before a physical examination, mainly to ensure the accuracy of biochemical test results such as blood sugar, blood lipids, and liver function. It is recommended to stop eating after 20:00 the night before the physical examination. You can drink a small amount of plain water, but do not drink sugary drinks, coffee, or tea. Fasting for too long or too short can affect the test results, for example, blood sugar levels can increase due to eating, and triglyceride levels can also be directly affected by diet.

2. Avoid strenuous exercise: Three days before the physical examination, maintain a normal pace of life and avoid high-intensity exercises such as running, swimming, and fitness. Intense exercise can lead to the release of substances such as creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase from muscle cells into the bloodstream, causing temporary elevation of these indicators and interfering with doctors' assessment of organ function such as myocardium and liver. Meanwhile, excessive sweating after exercise may cause blood concentration, affecting the accuracy of blood routine and electrolyte tests.

3. Loose fitting clothing: On the day of the physical examination, it is recommended to wear split, loose fitting, and easy to put on and take off clothing, avoiding jumpsuits, tight pants, or clothing with metal decorations. Loose clothing is convenient for conducting electrocardiograms, abdominal ultrasound, chest X-rays, and other examinations, especially when exposing the chest or abdomen, which can save time and reduce discomfort. Women should avoid wearing dresses or pantyhose to avoid affecting the smooth progress of gynecological or breast examinations.

4. Discontinue certain medications:

Whether to discontinue medications that are currently being taken depends on the specific situation. For example, when taking health supplements such as vitamin C and multivitamins, it is usually recommended to stop using them for 2-3 days before a physical examination, as vitamin C may interfere with the detection of urinary sugar, occult blood, and other items. However, it is generally not recommended to stop using chronic disease treatment drugs such as antihypertensive drugs, hypoglycemic drugs, and antiarrhythmic drugs without authorization. It is necessary to consult a doctor in advance to avoid blood pressure or blood sugar fluctuations caused by drug discontinuation, which may lead to danger.

5. Inform the chronic medical history:

When registering for physical examination, the staff should take the initiative to explain their chronic medical history, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, hepatitis, etc., as well as recent physical symptoms, such as fever, cough, diarrhea, etc. These pieces of information help doctors make comprehensive judgments when interpreting reports, avoiding misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. For example, when diabetes patients take urine samples, they need to inform the doctor to determine whether the rise in urine sugar is due to poor blood sugar control or kidney disease.

Before the physical examination, maintain a regular daily routine, avoid staying up late and drinking alcohol. Women should avoid gynecological or urine routine examinations during their menstrual period to avoid affecting the results. On the day of the physical examination, previous medical records or examination reports can be carried for the convenience of doctors to compare and analyze. After completing all projects, eat and replenish energy in a timely manner, and receive reports according to the agreed time. If there are any abnormal indicators, consult a professional doctor for further evaluation and guidance.