Free health checks for men aged 50–59 in Lithuania: what the state pays for

Three programmes apply to this age group at once

Between the ages of 50 and 59, a man in Lithuania is covered by three separate preventive programmes funded by Valstybinė ligonių kasa (VLK), the National Health Insurance Fund: the cardiovascular disease programme, which runs from age 40 to 60 inclusive; the prostate cancer programme — prostatos (priešinės liaukos) vėžio prevencinė programa — which runs from 50 to 69 inclusive; and the bowel cancer programme, which runs from 50 to 74 inclusive. You join each of them through your own family doctor (šeimos gydytojas), who assesses your health and enrols you in the relevant programme.

From the age of 50, the chance of cardiovascular risk factors, prostate changes and changes in the bowel goes up, and these cause no symptoms at all for a long time — high cholesterol, for example, usually causes none. That is why VLK aims these three programmes at this age group, and why the faecal occult blood test looks for bleeding before any symptoms appear: they are meant to pick up changes while a man still feels well.

What each programme includes

• Cardiovascular programme: measurement of blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in the blood, an ECG, and other tests that help assess risk.
• Prostate programme: the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test; if PSA is above 3 ng/ml, a referral (siuntimas) to a urologist (urologas).
• Bowel programme: the faecal occult blood test; if the result is positive, a referral for further investigation.

How to get on a programme

• Contact your own family doctor (šeimos gydytojas), who will assess your health and enrol you in the relevant programme.
• Go to a clinic that has a contract with the health insurance fund (ligonių kasa).
• For people insured under compulsory health insurance (privalomasis sveikatos draudimas), taking part in these programmes is free of charge — there is nothing to pay for the tests or for the consultation.

What these tests can and cannot tell you

The glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride tests and the ECG help the family doctor judge whether a person belongs in the high cardiovascular risk group. The tests themselves do not establish a diagnosis — they indicate when further investigation is needed. There is no single PSA level that separates normal from abnormal: a raised value can mean prostate cancer, but equally a benign enlargement or inflammation, which is why a raised result is followed up by a urologist.

The faecal occult blood test shows whether there is bleeding in the digestive tract; the cause may be anything from haemorrhoids to polyps or cancer. A positive result does not by itself confirm a diagnosis — a colonoscopy is needed. None of these tests can say whether a particular person will actually become ill; they only help the doctor decide who needs closer monitoring or further tests.

Other tests a doctor may add

Beyond the three programmes, the Lithuanian page notes that — depending on how you feel — a creatinine, testosterone or blood pressure check can be worth raising with your family doctor. They are not part of what the three preventive programmes cover.

• HbA1c — shows the average amount of glucose in the blood over the past 2 to 3 months, which helps assess the likelihood of diabetes or prediabetes in adults over 45.
• Creatinine — helps assess how the kidneys are working; worth discussing with a doctor, particularly where there are blood pressure or diabetes risk factors.
• Testosterone — worth discussing with a doctor if symptoms such as reduced sex drive, fatigue or loss of muscle mass appear; the test is done only where such symptoms are present.
• Blood pressure — mentioned on the Lithuanian page as something to discuss alongside the above.

When not to wait for a scheduled check

• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or a fast or irregular heartbeat — get help immediately: call 112, the emergency number in Lithuania, rather than waiting for a scheduled check-up.
• Blood in your urine or semen, painful urination, or frequent night-time urination — talk to a doctor as soon as possible.
• Blood in your poo (rectal bleeding), unexpected weight loss, or a persistent change in bowel habit — do not wait for your regular check-up.
• If you feel unwell but your age or risk factors do not fit the standard programme — contact your family doctor (šeimos gydytojas) anyway; they will assess your condition individually.
• Where to go: for the other symptoms above, contact your own family doctor (šeimos gydytojas). In a medical emergency in Lithuania, call 112.

Lithuanian terms you will see on forms and at the desk