Must-Have Health Screenings for Men
6/15/2022
A man’s reluctance to visit the doctor is a longstanding and popular stereotype. Just like women, for optimal health men should visit the doctor for an annual physical and be screened for certain diseases and conditions that are prevalent among men as they age.
This Father’s Day, in conjunction with National Men’s Health Week, June 13-19, the care team at Primary Care Associates of Laredo urges women to encourage the special men in their lives to visit their doctors for an annual checkup.
National Men’s Health Week is intended to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men.
“Many of the health issues that affect men are preventable, which makes these tests, most often at an annual checkup, even more important,” said Dr. Christopher Tchou, a board-certified family medicine physician.
Below are a few of the recommended screenings for men:
Blood pressure
Why: Keeping a close eye on blood pressure levels can help with early detection of hypertension or pre-hypertension. If left untreated, high blood pressure can increase the risk of heart attack, heart failure, strokes and kidney disease.
When: Men should have their blood pressure checked once every two years. Even men with normal blood pressure readings can develop high blood pressure in middle age and later in life.
Cholesterol
Why: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with high cholesterol have about twice the risk of heart disease as people with lower levels. Lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk of having a heart attack, needing heart bypass surgery or angioplasty, and dying of heart disease.
When: Men should have their cholesterol checked every five years beginning at age 35 – or younger if he is a smoker and/or has diabetes, high blood pressure, or a genetic predisposition to heart disease.
Diabetes
Why: The rate of diabetes has dramatically increased. Of the 37 million people in the U.S. who have diabetes, one out of five don’t know they have it. In the beginning, symptoms are so mild, the disease often goes undetected or is mistaken for some other ailment. Other health conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, increase the risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes can cause problems with the heart, eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves, and other body parts.
When: Men 45 years of age or older should be screened for diabetes every three years, according to the American Diabetes Association. If a man is overweight, has high blood pressure or high cholesterol, his doctor may advise screening at a younger age. Individuals with pre-diabetes should be checked for type 2 diabetes every one to two years after initial diagnosis.
Importance of the Annual Check Up
“All of these tests circle back to the importance of visiting your primary care doctor once a year for a checkup,” said Dr. Tchou. “Your doctor will keep tabs on your age and what tests are needed, as well as your family history and possible predisposition for certain diseases.”
Other screenings that may be performed during an annual visit may include a screening for depression, as well as an assessment of your weight and body mass index (BMI). Excess weight increases the risk for diabetes and heart disease. Your doctor may also check your skin for melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, though highly curable when diagnosed early.
This Father’s Day, celebrate the men you love by encouraging them to be proactive about their health. For more information on any of these tests, contact Laredo Medical Center at (956) 796-3223. To find a primary care doctor, visit https://bit.ly/3MhZ6tS.
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