Heart & Brain Checkup in Korea — The Complete Guide for International Patients

Who this suits / What to tell us in advance

A heart and brain checkup is a set of tests that looks for warning signs of conditions such as heart attack, angina and stroke before symptoms appear. High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are fairly common in Mongolia, Russia and Central Asia, so many people come to Korea to have everything checked thoroughly in a single trip.

Recommended for you if

• You have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, or told your numbers are borderline
• You have smoked for many years or still smoke
• A parent or sibling had a heart attack or stroke at a relatively young age
• You are 40 or older and have never had your heart and blood vessels checked
• You have several lifestyle risks together, such as abdominal obesity, little exercise or frequent drinking

Why check the heart and brain blood vessels separately

Cardiovascular disease often develops silently over many years as cholesterol builds up in the artery walls and narrows them. Blood pressure, blood tests and an ECG in a standard checkup can't directly show the inside of your vessels, so people with risk factors add imaging tests.

• Checking risk factors: blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar — the factors you can control — are measured.
• Checking vessel condition: coronary calcium, carotid wall thickness and plaque show how far atherosclerosis has progressed.
• Checking structure and function: an echocardiogram looks at the heart muscle and valves, and a brain MRI can reveal traces of small, symptom-free strokes.
• Deciding the next step: results show whether lifestyle changes are enough or whether medication or specialist care is needed.

Test packages — what you will have

Packages differ by center, but they generally add imaging tests on top of a basic panel according to your risk level. You don't need every test; you and the doctor choose based on age, medical history and family history.

What each test can show — and its limits

No single test tells you everything. Knowing the strengths and limits of each makes the results much easier to understand.

From booking to the day before — preparation

1. 1
   Initial consultation (2–4 weeks before departure): Tell us your age, height, weight, blood pressure and blood sugar numbers, diagnosed conditions, family history and smoking status, and your manager will match you with a center and a package.
2. 2
   Send your existing recordsIf you have blood test results, ECGs or imaging reports from home, send them along. They help avoid repeat tests.
3. 3
   Fasting (8+ hours)To check cholesterol and blood sugar, avoid food from the evening before. Follow the center's instructions on whether water is allowed.
4. 4
   Cut back on caffeine and alcoholIf you are having a coronary CT or a treadmill stress test, you are often asked to avoid coffee and energy drinks starting the day before. Avoid alcohol for 2–3 days beforehand.
5. 5
   What to wearIf you are having the stress test, bring comfortable sneakers you can walk and run in.

Things to confirm before a contrast test

• Contrast dye allergy: If you ever had hives or trouble breathing with CT contrast dye, be sure to tell us. The test may be changed or preventive measures taken.
• Kidney function: Contrast dye is cleared by the kidneys, so if kidney function is reduced, it is checked first with a blood test.
• Diabetes medicine (metformin): Depending on your kidney function and condition, the doctor decides whether to pause it briefly before and after a contrast test. Don't stop it on your own — follow the instructions.
• Other regular medicines: Blood pressure and heart medicines are often still taken on the day, but if you send photos of your medicines in advance, we will get the center's instructions and pass them on.

On the day of the checkup

1. 1
   Check-in (early morning)Your identity is confirmed with your passport and you change into a checkup gown. Your manager accompanies you and interprets.
2. 2
   Basic testsBlood pressure, body measurements, blood draw and ECG come first.
3. 3
   UltrasoundThe echocardiogram and carotid ultrasound are done lying down. Each takes about 20–30 minutes and is painless.
4. 4
   Treadmill stress testElectrodes are attached to your chest and you walk on a treadmill that gradually speeds up. If you feel out of breath or uncomfortable, say so and it will be stopped right away.
5. 5
   CT and MRIThe calcium CT takes only a few minutes; for a contrast CT, an injection is placed in your arm before the scan. For a brain MRI/MRA you lie for 20–40 minutes inside a noisy tube.
6. 6
   Results consultationDepending on the center, the doctor explains the results available that day and, if needed, books a specialist visit.

Getting your results — and what happens if something is found

• Checkup day
  Many centers have the doctor explain some results, such as blood pressure, ECG and ultrasound. Your manager interprets.
• Days 1–3
  Once the CT and MRI are read, many centers contact you first if anything abnormal is found.
• Weeks 1–3
  The official report is sent by email or post. Many centers can provide an English report.
• After you receive results
  Your manager summarizes the key points in your language and goes back to the center for any questions you have.

Abnormal findings are sorted by severity into lifestyle management with follow-up tests, starting medication, or specialist care. Heart findings are referred to a cardiologist, and brain-vessel findings to a neurologist (or a neurosurgeon if needed); if the schedule works, you can be seen during your stay.

Sample trip schedule (1–2 days)

• Day 1
  Arrive and check in to your accommodation. If you are tired from a long flight, schedule the tests for the next day. Have an early, light dinner, then fast.
• Day 2
  Morning checkup (3–5 hours depending on your package). Results consultation the same day; specialist visits in cardiology or neurology booked if needed.
• Day 3 (optional)
  Only if extra tests or a specialist visit are needed. Otherwise, fly home or sightsee in Gangnam, Seoul.

If you only have the basic tests and ultrasound, it can often be done in a single day. If you combine it with a general health checkup or endoscopy, we recommend a 2–4 day schedule. The partner checkup center is in the Gangnam area of Seoul (Seocho), so staying nearby makes the early-morning trip easier.

Medication and lifestyle after you go home

The real benefit of a checkup comes when you change your lifestyle based on the results and keep it up.

• Prescriptions: If you were prescribed medicine in Korea, get the prescription or medication sheet showing the generic name and dose and show it to your doctor at home. It makes it easier to continue the same medicine.
• Blood pressure and blood sugar log: Measuring and recording your blood pressure at home helps adjust medication at your next visit.
• Diet: Cut back on salty food, fatty meat and processed meat, and eat more vegetables, fish and whole grains.
• Quit smoking, drink less: Smoking greatly raises heart and brain-vessel risk. Quitting helps no matter when you start.
• Exercise: Keep up aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, within the limits your doctor allows.
• Follow-up tests: Repeat tests at the interval your doctor recommends (usually 1–2 years, shorter if something was found).

Questions to ask at your consultation

1. Given my risk factors, which tests are essential and which can I skip?
2. Between a coronary calcium CT and a coronary CT angiogram, which is right for me?
3. Are my kidneys healthy enough for contrast dye? When should I pause my diabetes medicine?
4. Am I fit enough to do the treadmill stress test?
5. Will a doctor explain the results on the day, and will an interpreter be there?
6. If something abnormal is found, how quickly can I be seen by cardiology or neurology?
7. In what language, and when, will I receive the report and imaging files?

How to choose a checkup center

• Specialist reading: Check that the echocardiogram, CT and MRI are read by specialists in each field.
• Equipment and flow: See whether ultrasound, CT and MRI can all be done in one center, one after another.
• Emergency response: Check that there is a system in place for any reaction during the stress test or a contrast test.
• Follow-up care: See whether there is a route to cardiology or neurology care, or to a university hospital.
• Support for foreigners: Check for an accompanying interpreter, medication ingredient checks, a results summary and an English report.