It’s a known fact that as we age, our body changes. Certain things need to be taken care of, checked more often, given more care, etc. But with all the tests and levels that need to be checked, it’s sometimes hard to keep track of what’s what and when it needs to be happen. One Best Self reader asked “I just turned 50. What type of preventive testing is needed at my age?” For the answer, we turned to Dr. Juliet K. Mavromatis of Personalized Primary Care Atlanta.
“At age 50, men and women should begin colon cancer screening, and a colonoscopy is the most thorough screening modality. Women should be screened for breast cancer through mammography biennially, and cervical cancer through a Pap smear every one to three years if sexually active. Men should consider prostate cancer screening by PSA testing. Because heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women, healthy 50-year-olds should have their blood pressure checked annually and a cholesterol profile run at least every five years. If you are overweight (body mass index > 25), a diabetes screening should be performed. HIV screening should also be considered by all sexually active adults. Other screenings are based on personal risk, so I recommend that all 50-year-olds speak with a primary care physician to determine what else might benefit them.”
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