Are you the kind of person who equates a physical exam to tax returns? Then you will be happy to know that yearly health checkups are a thing of the past. This doesn’t mean that you stop visiting your doctor time and time again.
During a typical checkup, your doctor will screen for all conditions that are common in people of your age. If everything seems to function right, then you’ll be expected to visit your doctor after every couple of years to ensure that you are in good shape.
Here are some of the common tests done for people between 40 and 60 years.
Blood pressure test
The wrap cuff put on your arm is used to measure how the blood is flowing through your arteries in between heart beats.
Anything close to 120/80 or lower is said to be normal. However if your pressure reads 140/90 or anything above this, it shows you have high blood pressure. This is an indication that you are susceptible to a stroke or heart attack.
You can lower your blood pressure by leading a healthier lifestyle by eating healthy and exercising. The doctor can also recommend medication. Take this test every year.
Cholesterol test
Cholesterol is the biggest cause of heart attacks. Your doctor will take a blood sample to measure the amount of cholesterol in your blood.
If your cholesterol levels are high, you might need meds and again, start eating healthy to lower the amount in your blood. This test can be done after every 5 years.
Blood sugar test
From the age of 45, you need to start taking this test. The test is done to measure the blood sugar levels in your body, and you should not eat 8 hours before the test.
A score of 100 or lower is good; anything above 160 shows that you are diabetic. Prediabetic is the middle ground; at this stage you can treat high blood sugar to avoid the risk of getting diabetes.
This test is done every 3 years.
Colon cancer screening
There are three types of tests that can be done in this case;
- Colonoscopy: a test done to screen the inside of your large intestines where cancer mostly occurs. This test is done after 10 every years.
- Sigmoidoscopy: this looks into parts of the large intestines. This test is done after every 5 years
- Fecal occult blood test: check for blood traces in the stool. This test is done yearly
HIV test
Research shows that at least 20% of the people infected by HIV do not know that they have it. The HIV test is very simple. The doctor will swab your mouth for saliva or take a blood sample then take it to the lab. Tests are usually done using mybiosourceelisa kits or other tests.
Anytime you think you are exposed to the virus, it’s important to get tested once and then after 3 months.
Hepatitis C Test
The virus is spread through contact with blood of an infected person. Most people get it from dirty needles, either while injecting street drugs or in a healthcare setup. This virus infects the liver and if left untreated for a longtime, it may lead to liver cancer.
You can have this virus for years without even knowing it.
Author’s Bio
Carol Carls is a nursing student at night and works as in her community centre during the day. Her passion for medicine and helping the sick has driven her to be a medical blogger. She spends most of her time researching on health issues affecting people. She also writes reviews about medical equipment e.g. mybiosourceelisa that she has already tested.
