You feel fine. You look fine. You go about
your daily life.
But could something be happening inside your body without you knowing it?
Some diseases can develop quietly for months or even years before
causing obvious symptoms. By the time symptoms appear, complications may
already have developed.
These conditions are often called “silent
killers.”
The good news is that many of them can be detected early with simple
health checks, lifestyle changes and appropriate screening.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), noncommunicable
diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic
respiratory diseases account for a large majority of deaths worldwide. Many
develop gradually and may remain unnoticed for years.
High blood pressure, or hypertension,
is one of the best-known silent diseases.
Many people with hypertension have no
symptoms at all. They may feel perfectly healthy while persistently
elevated blood pressure is gradually damaging blood vessels and vital organs.
Untreated hypertension can increase the risk of:
•
Heart attack
•
Stroke
•
Heart failure
•
Kidney disease
•
Vision problems
How can you detect it?
A blood pressure measurement
is quick, simple and inexpensive.
Don't wait for a headache or dizziness before checking your blood
pressure.
Know your numbers.
Type 2 diabetes can develop gradually, and symptoms may be mild or
absent in the early stages.
A person may have elevated blood glucose for years without realizing it.
Over time, uncontrolled diabetes can damage:
•
Eyes
•
Kidneys
•
Nerves
•
Heart and blood
vessels
•
Feet
WHO notes that diabetes can lead to complications including blindness,
kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower-limb amputation.
Useful tests
Depending on your age and risk factors, your doctor may recommend:
•
Fasting blood
glucose
•
HbA1c
•
Post-meal glucose
•
Lipid profile
•
Kidney function
tests
•
Urine albumin
testing
Don't wait for excessive thirst or frequent
urination to check your sugar.
High cholesterol usually does not
cause symptoms.
You cannot feel your LDL cholesterol rising.
However, excess LDL cholesterol can contribute to the development of
atherosclerosis—the
buildup of fatty deposits in arteries.
Over time, this may contribute to:
Heart attack → Stroke → Peripheral arterial disease
A simple lipid profile can
help identify abnormal cholesterol levels.
Remember:
Feeling healthy does not necessarily mean
your cholesterol is healthy.
Kidney disease can be particularly difficult to recognize in its early
stages.
WHO notes that chronic kidney disease is often asymptomatic until later stages, which is why testing is important
in people at risk.
Diabetes and hypertension are important risk factors.
Simple tests can help
Your doctor may recommend:
•
Serum creatinine
•
eGFR
•
Urine routine
examination
•
Urine
albumin-to-creatinine ratio
Early detection can provide an opportunity to slow disease progression
and address its underlying causes.
Not all cancers cause early symptoms.
Some cancers can grow for a considerable period before producing
noticeable signs.
This is why appropriate screening
and early diagnosis are so important.
Examples of cancers for which screening/early detection strategies may
be appropriate include:
•
Breast cancer
•
Cervical cancer
•
Oral cancer
•
Colorectal cancer
in appropriate age/risk groups
In India, breast, cervical and oral cancers are among the important
cancers for which screening and early-detection strategies are relevant.
Cervical cancer is particularly important because it is largely
preventable through HPV vaccination and
appropriate screening, and early disease can be treated effectively.
Screening is not the same as waiting for
symptoms.
Screening aims to identify disease or precancerous changes before symptoms develop.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD),
previously commonly called fatty liver disease, may produce few or no symptoms
in its early stages.
It may be discovered during:
•
Routine blood
tests
•
Ultrasound
abdomen
•
Health check-ups
Risk factors can include:
•
Overweight or
obesity
•
Diabetes
•
Insulin
resistance
•
Abnormal
cholesterol or triglycerides
•
Physical
inactivity
Early identification provides an opportunity to address metabolic risk
factors and reduce the chance of progression.
Osteoporosis may remain unnoticed until a fracture occurs.
A person can lose significant bone strength without feeling pain.
The first indication may be:
A fracture after a relatively minor fall or
injury.
Risk increases with factors such as increasing age, menopause, low body
weight, certain medications and other medical conditions.
For people at appropriate risk, your doctor may recommend a bone mineral density (DEXA) scan.
Many chronic diseases develop gradually.
Your body may compensate for the early changes, so you don't necessarily
experience obvious symptoms.
Meanwhile, damage may slowly accumulate.
That is why:
Symptoms are not always an early warning
system.
Regular health checks can sometimes identify problems before you feel unwell.
A preventive health check should be personalized according to your:
•
Age
•
Sex
•
Family history
•
Weight and
lifestyle
•
Existing medical
conditions
•
Medications
•
Tobacco/alcohol
exposure
•
Previous abnormal
test results
A basic
discussion with your doctor may include:
|
Health
concern |
Possible
check |
|
Blood pressure |
BP measurement |
|
Diabetes |
Fasting glucose / HbA1c |
|
Cholesterol |
Lipid profile |
|
Kidney health |
Creatinine/eGFR ± urine albumin |
|
Liver/metabolic health |
Liver tests ± ultrasound when
indicated |
|
Bone health |
DEXA when indicated |
|
Breast cancer |
Age/risk-appropriate screening |
|
Cervical cancer |
Appropriate cervical screening |
|
Oral cancer |
Oral examination, particularly in
high-risk individuals |
|
Other cancers |
Screening according to age and
risk |
Prevention doesn't require perfection.
Small, consistent choices can make a major difference.
1. Move regularly 
Aim for regular physical activity and avoid prolonged sitting.
2. Eat more whole foods
Include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, nuts and other
minimally processed foods.
3. Watch salt and added sugars
Excess salt can contribute to high blood pressure, while excess calories
and added sugars can contribute to metabolic problems.
4. Maintain a healthy weight
Even modest improvements in weight and waist circumference can benefit
metabolic health.
5. Avoid tobacco 
Smoking and other tobacco exposure increase the risk of cardiovascular
disease, cancer and respiratory disease.
6. Limit alcohol
If you drink alcohol, discuss appropriate limits with your healthcare
professional.
7. Sleep well
Sleep is an important part of overall metabolic and cardiovascular
health.
8. Don't ignore persistent symptoms
Even when a disease is often silent, new or persistent symptoms deserve
medical attention.
WHO identifies tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, harmful
alcohol use and air pollution among important risk factors for major
noncommunicable diseases.
The phrase “silent killer”
can sound frightening.
But it should not create fear.
It should create awareness.
You don't have to wait until something feels wrong before taking care of
your health.
A blood pressure check takes minutes.
A blood test can reveal important metabolic problems.
Appropriate cancer screening can detect some cancers or precancerous
changes before symptoms appear.
And lifestyle changes can reduce several important risk factors.
Don't wait for your body to send a warning.
Check your health before the warning comes.
A Simple Preventive Health Checklist
Know your numbers.
☐
Blood pressure
☐ Blood glucose / HbA1c when appropriate
☐ Cholesterol
☐ Weight and waist circumference
☐ Kidney health when indicated
☐ Appropriate cancer screening
☐ Vaccination status
☐ Lifestyle and physical activity
☐ Tobacco and alcohol exposure
☐ Family history
Remember:
Prevention is not about finding disease
everywhere.
It is about finding problems early—when there
is still an opportunity to change the outcome.
Dr. Sunita Samleti
Senior Consultant Pathologist
Preventive Health & Patient Education
This article is for general health education and does not replace
individualized medical advice. Screening recommendations should be based on
age, sex, personal and family history, risk factors and local guidelines.
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