What’s a heart health check and do you need one?

Published February 2026 | 5 min read
Expert contributor: Professor Jason Kovacic, cardiologist and CEO, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute
Words by Trudie McConnochie

Key takeaways

• Heart disease is common but largely preventable – and heart health checks can help identify your risk.
• Heart health checks offered by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute measure blood pressure, cholesterol and average blood sugar and are available to eligible HCF members at selected locations and dates^*.
• The test takes about 10 minutes and results are immediate.
• Heart health checks often uncover issues you may not be aware of, giving you and your GP the chance to manage your risks early and discuss how to prevent heart disease.

Learn how a heart health check can help you stay healthy now and into the future, and how to book your free check.

Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease, is responsible for one in four deaths in Australia, and three-quarters of us are at risk (and might not even know it). The good news is, with regular checks and a few lifestyle changes or medical interventions, heart disease can be slowed or even prevented.

A heart health check can be life-changing, says Professor Jason Kovacic, cardiologist and CEO at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. It can reveal hidden issues you’re not aware of and can give you vital information about how to keep your heart healthy.

“Heart disease is mostly preventable, and yet it remains one of the major killers in Australia,” he says. “We need to really make a concerted effort to get a heart health check, so that none of us is running around with risk factors untreated.”

What is a heart health check?

A heart health check assesses your risk of heart attack, stroke or diabetes, helping to uncover heart problems and symptoms linked to heart disease.

Eligible members^* can get a free HCF Heart and Diabetes Health Check through the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, which usually takes around 10 minutes. During your check, a health expert will:

• ask questions about your lifestyle and family cardiac history
• measure three key indicators of heart health that are often considered ‘silent’: blood pressure, cholesterol and average blood sugar
• check your blood pressure using a cuff
• prick a tiny needle into your finger to test a couple of drops of blood.

The blood test will measure cholesterol and triglyceride levels, explains Prof Kovacic. “It will also measure HbA1c, which is an average blood-glucose level over the past few months. It’s a very accurate way of diagnosing diabetes.”

Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, because high blood-sugar levels can gradually damage blood vessels in your heart, doubling your risk of heart disease or stroke.

What happens after a heart health check?

Results from an HCF Heart and Diabetes Health Check are instant. Prof Kovacic says you’ll get a simple one-page summary of your heart health, showing whether your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are in the healthy range.

“Almost 50% of the people we check can have one or more of these measurements for heart disease that are suboptimal and need better attention, and we’re sending them off to their GPs to get things adjusted and any relevant treatment started,” he says.

“There’s no reason for anybody in our society these days to be walking around with elevated blood pressure, cholesterol or glucose, because we can treat them easily.”

You’ll also be told when to have your next heart check-up.

“It depends on your risk profile, family history, age and also previous heart health check results,” says Prof Kovacic. “On average, it’s every few years if things check out well.”

Who needs a heart health check?

Heart health checks are recommended for people who are:

• aged 45 or over
• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander aged 30 or over
• at higher risk of heart disease.

A healthcare professional may suggest starting heart health checks earlier, depending on your risk factors – so it’s a good idea to talk to your GP about what’s right for you.

How to book a heart health check

Eligible members 18 years and older can get a free HCF Heart and Diabetes Health Check, delivered by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, at selected locations and dates^* (check dates and locations here). In the 2024–25 financial year, 70% of the 4,383 members who used this service found they had elevated risk factors for heart disease and diabetes and were referred to their GP and other relevant HCF Health Programs.

These checks are available across a range of locations, including regional areas – an important service as “people in rural and regional areas do tend to have higher rates of heart disease”, notes Prof Kovacic.

You can also get a heart health check with a Medicare rebate from your GP or at selected pharmacies.

How to prevent heart disease

There are some risk factors for heart disease that can’t be changed, like your age and family history. But, says Prof Kovacic, most risk factors can be changed, and these include:

• high blood pressure
• high blood cholesterol
• having diabetes
• being overweight or obese
• smoking
• inactivity
• poor diet
• drinking more alcohol than the Australian guidelines recommend (no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day)
• not enough sleep.

For help managing heart disease risk factors, chat with your GP. Through HCF's partnership with GP2U, eligible members can access a standard online GP consultation (up to 10 minutes) for a fee of $50^{^}, helping you get access to care when you need it. Rural and remote members⁺ with hospital and/or extras cover can access a free annual 15-minute online GP consult.

Eligible HCF members can also access a range of preventive and management programs^#, including phone coaching for heart conditions and diabetes with The COACH Program^® and heart support from home with Cardihab.

Book your free heart health check

Taking a few minutes for a heart check can help you understand your health and take steps to lower your risk of heart disease. Eligible members 18 years and older can get a free HCF Heart and Diabetes Health Check, delivered by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, at selected locations and dates^*. It only takes 10 minutes and you can get your results right away.