Planning a health check? Do not take these medicines on the day without medical advice

A routine health screening can require more than skipping breakfast. People taking diabetes medicines, aspirin or anticoagulants should check with their doctors before deciding whether to take them.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said accurate screening generally requires eight hours of fasting, along with avoiding alcohol and fatty foods. Diabetes medicines, including insulin, can pose a hypoglycemia risk when taken during the fasting period. Severe low blood sugar can cause loss of consciousness and falls, so patients may need to stop these medicines while fasting.

People scheduled for angiography or a contrast-enhanced CT scan should also check whether they take metformin. Iodine-based contrast agents can temporarily reduce kidney function, while about 90% of metformin leaves the body through the kidneys. Taking both together can increase kidney-related side effects. The ministry said metformin may need to be stopped from the day of the examination through 48 hours afterward.

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant medicines, including aspirin, warfarin, Plavix, Pletal and the NOAC drugs Xarelto, Lixiana, Eliquis and Pradaxa, may also need to be paused before endoscopy. Biopsies or polyp removals can cause bleeding that is harder to stop while these drugs remain active. Because anticoagulants can continue working in the body, doctors may advise stopping them three to seven days before the procedure, rather than only the day before.

The ministry warned that stopping such treatment can itself create danger. For some patients, the risk of a clot, heart attack or worsening existing illness may exceed the bleeding risk. Any decision to pause medication should therefore be made with a medical professional.