| What
to Get When |
How
Often |
Keep
in Mind |
| Beginning
at the age 18 — Self exams |
|
|
| Breast
self-exam |
Monthly
(women) |
Probe
a week after your period ends. Any lump requires review by a physician. |
| Skin
self-exam |
Monthly |
Moles
that are ragged, multicolored, have changed shape, or are wider
than a pencil eraser require a doctor's attention. |
| Abdominal
measurement |
Monthly |
Goal
for women is <35 inches; men <40 inches. A higher result requires
a visit to a doctor for heart disease and diabetes risk review. |
| Note: Have a tetanus-diphtheria shot every 10 years. |
|
|
| Note: At any time in life, if you have a hysterectomy or are treated for
cancer, request a bone density assessment before surgery or before
treatment begins. Repeat the assessment in 6 to12 months to find
out if bone health has been compromised. |
|
|
Beginning
at the age 18,
see your doctor for |
|
|
| Pelvic
exam; pap "smear"; clinical breast exam |
Yearly |
These
exams screen for cancers and sexually transmitted diseases. |
| Hearing
exam |
Every
10 years |
After
age 50, get tested more often — especially if you use earphones
to listen to music. |
| Chlamydia
and other sexually transmitted diseases including HIV |
Pregnant
or planning to be |
Recommended
even for women in monogamous relationships. |
| At
age 20+, add the following |
|
|
| Blood
pressure reading |
Every
two years |
More
frequent readings may be scheduled by your physician. |
| Dental
checkup |
Every
6 to 12 months;
x-rays every other year |
Cleaning
should be a part of the checkup; it helps prevent gum disease. Floss
regularly — plaque from your mouth can dislodge and attach
itself to arteries to your heart. |
| Fasting
lipoprotein profile |
Every
five years |
This
blood test for triglycerides (fat in blood) and cholesterol levels
(for tendency to form plaque in arteries) screens for heart disease,
the #1 killer. |
| At
age 20+, add the following |
|
|
| Blood
pressure reading |
Every
two years |
More
frequent readings may be scheduled by your physician. |
| Dental
checkup |
Every
6 to 12 months; x-rays every other year |
Cleaning
should be a part of the checkup; it helps prevent gum disease. Floss
regularly — plaque from your mouth can dislodge and attach
itself to arteries to your heart. |
| Fasting
lipoprotein profile |
Every
five years |
This
blood test for triglycerides (fat in blood) and cholesterol levels
(for tendency to form plaque in arteries) screens for heart disease,
the #1 killer. |
| At
age 35+, add the following |
|
|
| Thyroid-stimulating
hormone (TSH) test |
Every
five years |
One
in eight women will suffer from a thyroid disorder during her lifetime. |
| At
age 40+, for women only |
|
|
| Mammogram |
Yearly |
Screen
earlier if there's a family history of breast cancer. |
| At
age 45+, add the following |
|
|
| Fasting
glucose and, if you have a family history of diabetes, add glycohemoglobin
(A1C)a |
Can
be added to annual blood test. Every 6 months if you have a genetic
tendency to diabetes or are more than 20 pounds overweight. |
A1C
measures how well blood glucose has been controlled in recent months.
Those with diabetes are advised to keep their level at less than
7%. |
| hsCRP
(highly sensitive C reactive protein) |
Can
be added to annual blood test, if at risk; if not, every three years. |
Recommended
for those who have a family history of heart disease. |
| At
50+, add the following |
|
|
| Bone
mineral density test (for osteoporosis) |
Annually,
if bone density is low or you are being treated for osteoporosis;
every five years, if bone density is high. |
Recommended
for all postmenopausal women and those at risk for osteoporosis
(e.g., cancer patients, women whose ovaries have been removed).
Men get osteoporosis too but testing for them typically begins 10
years later. |
| Fecal
occult blood test |
Annually |
Tests
for blood in stool. This is only 40% accurate, but it is a test
you can do at home. |
| Double
contrast barium enema or flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy |
Annually
if you have gastric reflux disease or blood in stool. |
Rules
out colorectal cancer. Start screening earlier if you have an inflammatory
bowel disease or your parent, child, or sibling has colorectal cancer. |
| Note: Ask your doctor if you should take a flu shot. |
|
|
| At
65, add the following: ask your doctor if you should take a (one
time) pneumonia shot. |
|
|
| For
Men Only |
|
|
| PSA
test |
Annually
in men over age 55; earlier for African-American men or if a relative
has been diagnosed with prostate cancer |
Detects
prostate cancer better than the digital rectal exam. Note: Prostate
cancer is the second most common cancer in men; average age of patients
at time of diagnosis is 70. |
