For most of us, it's a lot easier to forego routine trips to the doctor than it is to make and keep appointments, particularly when we have no physical complaints. In the prime of youth, letting a few years go by between visits might not be a big deal. But in middle age, regular preventive care becomes a lot more important. Particularly when we're over 50, annual screenings can greatly improve both our long-term health and quality of life-catching existing problems early, when they're easily treatable, and preventing others from ever occurring at all.
If you're interested in getting screened but aren't sure what's involved or what tests you might need, read on to learn more about 10 essential tests for everyone over 50.*
- Because catching high blood pressure early is a crucial step in preventing heart attacks and strokes, it's important to get a blood pressure test on a regular basis. The test itself is a quick, painless and non-invasive part of a routine doctor's visit.
- High levels of cholesterol and triglyceride (a form of fat) in your body can raise your risk of heart disease and strokes. A cholesterol and triglyceride test, done with a blood sample, can measure whether your body has an overload of either one.
- Most doctors recommend that women over 40 begin getting mammograms every one to two years. A mammogram is a sensitive, low-dose x-ray that can detect abnormal changes in a woman's breast tissue. Most of these changes are not harmful, but a few may signal the possibility of cancer developing. The sooner a change is found (mammograms can catch them up to two years before they can be physically felt), the better the chances for treatment.
- For men and women over 50, routine colonoscopies are a vital part of detecting and preventing colorectal cancer-the #2 cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. During a colonoscopy, a doctor examines the inside of the large intestine with a tiny video camera attached to a thin, flexible tube, and removes any abnormal growths. Colonoscopies usually take about half an hour, and are done under light sedation.
- As we age, our risk of type-2 diabetes goes up. A blood glucose test can tell your doctor whether you have diabetes or its precursor, pre-diabetes, by measuring how well your body is processing blood glucose, or blood sugar, after you eat.
- Men over 50 should get regular prostate cancer screening to help catch prostate cancer as early as possible, so that treatment can be as effective as possible. This type of screening involves a blood test called a PSA test, which measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. High PSA levels may indicate the presence of prostate cancer-though it's by no means a definitive test.
- Osteoporosis is a disease that causes a person's bones to lose density and become brittle, putting the individual at greater risk of fracture and general disability. Though osteoporosis is most common among post-menopausal women, it can also develop in men. A bone density test, done with x-ray technology called dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DXA, can determine whether you are experiencing bone loss.
- Skin cancer exams are a quick and easy way for your doctor to check for potentially cancerous moles and cysts on your skin. All an exam involves is a two to three minute visual examination, under bright lights, of the skin on your body, including your hands, feet and scalp.
- Women over 18 should receive regular cervical cancer screenings every two to three years in the form of a pap smear. Your doctor conducts a pap smear by collecting a cell sample from the surface of your cervix. Abnormal cells may signal the possibility that cervical cancer could eventually develop, though not all abnormalities indicate a problem.
- People over 50 should get an eye exam at least once every few years, to detect not only changes in vision but early signs of eye disease. Eye exams, which include a vision test, a pupil dilation test and an eye pressure test, can help catch problems long before you might detect them yourself, and when they are still readily treatable.
While most screenings are only a yearly responsibility, there are steps you can take daily to nurture your health and increase your quality of life. To promote heart health and protect against cancer, the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society recommend that you:
- Quit smoking
- Avoid excessive weight gain
- Lose weight if you are overweight or obese
- Incorporate a range of fruits and vegetables into your diet
- For heart health, reduce your intake of dietary cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats; increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish and flax oil)
- Cut down on alcohol use
- Get moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes, five days a week
Adapted from Neithercott, T. (2010, Winter). The Lifesavers. Fab50 Plus, 20-23.
