The key points
- Vitals includes 23 results; Vitals Pro adds 15 more and Vitals Max another five, giving 38 and 43 results.
- Blood count components and calculated outputs are included results, not separate independent assays.
- Reproductive hormones and PSA are not in the general profiles. B12, folate and Lp(a) are included from Vitals Pro upwards.
- All three profiles require a 10-hour fast and morning collection because they include fasting glucose.
- Follow-up is based on clinical purpose and risk, with no automatic annual panel.
What is a blood test health profile?
A blood profile groups several tests for related clinical questions. The useful starting point is why you want to test: symptoms, risk factors, a previous abnormal result or a planned follow-up. A larger set of results is not automatically more useful.
The general profiles Vitals, Vitals Pro and Vitals Max cover selected blood count, cardiometabolic, kidney, liver, thyroid, iron and electrolyte questions. They do not assess every body system and do not establish that you are free of disease.
What does Vitals include?
Vitals contains 23 reported results:
| Question | Included results |
|---|---|
| Blood count | Hb, red and white cell counts, platelets, haematocrit and red cell indices |
| Lipids | Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, calculated non-HDL and triglycerides |
| Glucose | Fasting glucose and HbA1c |
| Kidney filtration | Creatinine |
| Liver | ALT and AST |
| Thyroid | TSH |
| Iron stores | Ferritin |
| Electrolytes | Sodium, potassium and calcium |
CBC components come from a grouped laboratory test and non-HDL is calculated. Twenty-three results does not mean twenty-three independently ordered assays. Reproductive hormones, PSA, hs-CRP and Lp(a) are not in Vitals, and neither are vitamins.
What can the results show?
The included results can identify findings relevant to the chosen clinical question, such as raised glucose or LDL cholesterol, anaemia or depleted iron stores. An abnormal finding may need confirmation or further investigation; a normal result does not exclude every possible cause of symptoms.
Blood pressure, physical examination and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio are not part of these blood profiles. The profiles do not include imaging and are not cancer screening. Blood results complement a clinical assessment.
How do Vitals, Pro and Max differ?
Vitals Pro contains all 23 Vitals results and adds 15: serum albumin, GGT, vitamin B12, folate, free T4, ApoB, Lp(a), cystatin C, CRP, ALP, bilirubin, urea, uric acid, phosphate and RDW, for 38 reported results. Vitals Max adds a further five, vitamin D, magnesium, iron, transferrin and transferrin saturation, for 43 reported results. Serum albumin does not replace urine albumin testing.
Men's Health is the general profile for men: the 23 Vitals results plus testosterone, SHBG and serum albumin, for 26 reported results. Reproductive hormones and PSA are not automatically included in a larger health check. Lp(a) is included from Vitals Pro upwards and usually needs measuring only once in adulthood. Choose the additional tests for their purpose.
How do you prepare?
All three profiles include fasting glucose. Fast for 10 hours and sample in the morning; water is allowed. Follow the instructions issued with your order. If you take medicines, particularly glucose-lowering medicines or medicines requiring food, ask your prescriber how to prepare and do not change treatment without advice.
The laboratory results are reviewed with the information you provide. Additional assessment may be needed to interpret an abnormal finding.
When should testing be repeated?
There is no automatic annual schedule for the whole profile. Follow-up depends on the result, the clinical question, treatment and risk. A smaller set of targeted tests may be more useful than repeating every result.
Broad screening of symptom-free adults has not been shown to reduce overall mortality and can lead to unnecessary investigation. Keeping earlier reports can help interpret a clinically indicated repeat, but having a trend does not itself prove benefit from repeated screening.
Vitals includes 23 reported results for selected blood count, lipid, glucose, kidney, liver, thyroid, iron and electrolyte questions. Reproductive hormones are not included.
Vitals
When is a health check not enough?
A health check is for people who feel well and want to stay informed. If you have symptoms right now, such as chest pain, unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool or a lump that worries you, seek care directly instead of waiting for a report. In an emergency call 112, and when unsure, 1177 can advise where to turn.
The same applies if a health check report shows clearly abnormal values: the next step is then a doctor who can put the numbers in context and investigate further.
Common questions
What is included in a blood test health check?
Vitals includes 23 results covering blood count, lipids, fasting glucose, HbA1c, creatinine, ALT, AST, TSH, ferritin, sodium, potassium and calcium. Vitals Pro adds 15 more, among them ApoB, Lp(a), cystatin C, B12 and folate, and Vitals Max another five, among them vitamin D and iron. Reproductive hormones are not included.
What does a blood test health check cost?
The current total prices and exact included results are shown on the Vitals, Vitals Pro and Vitals Max product pages. There is also a general profile for men, Men's Health.
Do you need a referral for a health check?
No. You order it yourself, walk in to a sampling location when it suits you, and receive the results digitally.
Do you have to fast before a health check?
Vitals, Vitals Pro and Vitals Max all include fasting glucose: fast for 10 hours and sample in the morning. Water is allowed. Follow your order and ask the prescriber about medicines requiring food or glucose-lowering treatment.
Can a health check detect cancer?
No, it is not designed for that. Individual abnormal values can lead to further investigation by a doctor, but a health check is not a cancer screening and should not be used as one.
Markers in this article
More articles in the same area
- Blood tests without a referral: how it works in SwedenIn Sweden you can order blood tests yourself, no referral needed. How it works step by step, what you can test and what it does not replace.
- Men’s health after 40: choosing blood tests for your risk and symptomsHow lipids, glucose, kidney tests, hormones and PSA are selected after 40. Testing and follow-up depend on risk, symptoms and previous findings.
- Tired all the time? The blood values that can explain whyTired all the time? How iron, thyroid and vitamin values can explain long-term tiredness, which blood tests are relevant, and when to see a doctor.
- Understand your Swedish blood test resultsWhat S, P and fP mean on a Swedish lab report, the units g/L, mmol/L and mmol/mol, and how Swedish values relate to American mg/dL and percent.
This article is general health information, not medical advice and not an assessment of your values. If you have symptoms or concerns, contact your healthcare provider.