Evidence-based health check

A general health check is defined as the contact between a health professional and an asymptomatic person where several screening tests are performed to assess general health with the aim of reducing morbidity and mortality. However, scientific evidence shows that performing several screening tests are unlikely to be beneficial for those outcomes and each test should be individualized considering risks and benefits. The objectives of this review are to describe the usefulness of these checks, briefly review preventive actions, and formulate degrees of recommendation, thus allowing the reader to recognize evidence-based preventive recommendations in a healthy adult. In this article, recommendations are synthesized using the GRADE methodology in its formulation. While most of the recommendations reviewed have moderate to high certainty evidence, it is important to consider some distinctions when offering preventive actions. After this academic effort, the need to establish a formal organization dedicated to the review, preparation and updating of preventive recommendations in our country is evident, as well as evaluating the impact of these actions in terms of health outcomes.