Medical tests for seniors

June is commemorated as Seniors Month.
Fifties are the new thirties! You deserve to stay just as fit as Jane Fonda. The need for annual health exams increases with age. Here are a few tests that you may need to go through.


Get your blood pressure checked every year... even if you have always had a normal blood pressure. A high blood pressure can affect your heart, blood vessels, eyes, brain, and kidneys. A regular check can help detect early changes of BP.


As you grow older, your muscle mass will be replaced by fat. Also your body's metabolism slows down. You will not burn calories as efficiently as you did earlier. Check your weight regularly. Pay attention to any gain in weight. Obesity has been linked with several disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and also certain caners. 


Men 45 years of age and older and women 55 years of age and older are at higher risk of heart disease. Monitor your blood cholesterol levels. It will help identify the need for treatment and reduce the risk. 


Get your blood sugar levels tested at three years interval to detect diabetes before any significant complications develop. If you are at high risk of diabetes, start getting screened in your thirties. Some of the factors that increase your risk include obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, inactivity and a a family history of diabetes. 


Nearly 30% of those above 60 years of age have some hearing loss. So get your hearing tested once every three years. 


Most fractures in people who are 45 years of age or more are due to osteoporosis or porous bones. It is a good idea for postmenopausal women who have a fracture to get a bone densitometry test done. Women who have been on hormone replacement therapy for a prolonged period also need to be screened for osteoporosis. 


Cancer Screening 
The risk for most cancers increases with age. 

• Women who are fifty or more need an annual mammography to detect breast lumps at the earliest. A mammogram can detect a lump much before you can feel it with your fingers. 
• In your twenties, get a Pap Smear test done every two years. When you are thirty or more, if you have had 3 consecutive negative tests and no abnormal history, it is okay to get re-screened once every three years. You can stop the tests at 65 or 70 if you have had no abnormal Pap test in the last 10 years. 
• If you are a male with a family history, start getting tested for prostate cancer at forty-five. 

How about scheduling a visit to the doctor during your birth month? Gift yourself a healthy life.