Why preventive checkups matter
The most impactful health decisions are often made before you feel sick. High blood pressure silently damages arteries for years before causing a stroke or heart attack. Type 2 diabetes is often present for a decade before diagnosis — by which time significant kidney, eye, and nerve damage may have occurred. High LDL cholesterol causes atherosclerosis over decades with no warning. Early detection means interventions when they're most effective: lifestyle changes alone may suffice in the early stages, where medication at advanced stages is compulsory but insufficient to reverse damage already done.
The other benefit of regular checkups is establishing your personal baseline. A single result in isolation has limited meaning; a trend over several years tells a doctor whether things are moving in the right direction. This is why annual consistency matters — not just getting tested once.
Core preventive principles
- ✓Blood pressure measurement is the single highest-yield preventive screening — free, fast, and highly actionable
- ✓Fasting blood work requires 8–12 hours without food or caloric drink; water is allowed and encouraged
- ✓Frequency of testing should increase after 40 and with any chronic condition or family risk factor
- ✓Out-of-range results need interpretation in context — a single abnormal value is not a diagnosis
- ✓Online lab orders are valid at private labs throughout Peru (Suiza Lab, Roe, Blufstein)
Get your lab orders online
A physician can review your history and issue a personalized lab panel — online from S/80, valid at labs throughout Peru.
Book consultation →What to test and when, by age group
Ages 20–39: Every 1–2 years: complete blood count (CBC), fasting glucose, lipid panel (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides), blood pressure, BMI calculation. If symptomatic or with risk factors: TSH (thyroid), uric acid, urine analysis. Women: Pap smear every 3 years from age 21. If family history of early cardiovascular disease or diabetes, start annual testing earlier and include fasting insulin or HOMA-IR.
Ages 40–59: Annually: all of the above plus creatinine and BUN (kidney function), ALT/AST (liver enzymes), TSH, uric acid, urine analysis. From age 45–50: add glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) for diabetes screening, ECG, and PSA for men (prostate-specific antigen, discuss with doctor). Women 50+: mammogram every 1–2 years, bone density (DEXA) scan baseline. Ages 60+: All above annually. Add vitamin D, B12, and consider a more comprehensive cardiometabolic panel based on individual history.
Order your annual lab tests online
Online medical consultation from S/80. Available across all of Peru.
Book nowHow to prepare and what to expect
For fasting tests: fast for 8–12 hours (water is fine and encouraged). Don't exercise intensely the day before — it affects glucose and creatinine values. Take your usual medications unless your doctor says otherwise. Bring your last results if this is a follow-up — comparison over time is more valuable than a single snapshot. At the lab, you'll give blood and sometimes urine; the process takes 10–15 minutes. Results are typically available in 24–48 hours online.
After you get results, review them with a physician — especially if anything is outside the reference range. Reference ranges are statistical norms, not individual targets: what's normal at the population level may not be optimal for you. A physician interprets results in the context of your age, sex, symptoms, and trend over time. An online follow-up consultation is a fast and practical way to review your results and get personalized guidance.
FAQ
How often should I get a full checkup if I'm healthy?
For healthy adults ages 20–39 without risk factors: every 1–2 years is sufficient for most tests. After 40, annual testing is recommended. Blood pressure should be checked at least annually from age 18. If you have any chronic conditions, your doctor will set a more frequent monitoring schedule.
Can I get lab orders without an in-person appointment?
Yes. At Delvir, a physician can review your history and issue a digital lab order valid at private laboratories throughout Peru — Suiza Lab, Roe, Blufstein, and others. No in-person clinic visit required. The consultation costs S/80.
One of my results is outside the reference range — what should I do?
Don't panic. One out-of-range value rarely diagnoses a disease on its own. It may reflect dietary intake before the test, recent exercise, lab variation, or a genuine early finding that needs follow-up. An online consultation with a physician is the right next step: they'll interpret the result in context and advise whether repeat testing, lifestyle change, or further evaluation is needed.
Does EsSalud or private insurance cover preventive checkups?
EsSalud covers preventive health packages for affiliates, typically including basic blood work and blood pressure, with some age-based additions. Private health insurance varies by plan — most cover annual checkups up to a specified amount. Expats without Peruvian insurance can access private labs directly; a full basic panel at Suiza Lab typically costs S/150–250. The online consultation to get lab orders adds S/80.
Conclusion
Preventive health checkups are one of the most cost-effective investments you can make. Getting tested while you're well — and doing it consistently — enables early detection when outcomes are best and interventions are simplest.
At Delvir, you can consult a physician online from S/80 and get a personalized lab panel ordered, valid at labs throughout Peru.