A Guide to Predicting Your Medical Future
Risk Management: You can't lower your age or upgrade your genes, but when it comes to assessing your health with the latest screenings, your fate is in your hands. Here are the best checkups to check out—and those you can skip.
18 to 34 Years Old
Regular tests may seem like a nuisance when you
'
re young and healthy, but don
'
t slack off.
WOMEN
Breast exams: Less than 2 percent of breast cancers are diagnosed in women under 34. At this age, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says, a monthly self-exam and a similar exam by a doctor every three years may be helpful. Other agencies stop short of recommending either exam on a regular basis, but the tests can establish a baseline for later.
Pelvic exam and Pap smear: Good news—cervical-cancer rates fell 17 percent between 1998 and 2002. Since half of cases are diagnosed between ages 35 and 55, and it takes 10 to 15 years for HPV to develop into cancer, it's important to catch abnormalities before they turn potentially malignant. Start getting a pelvic exam and Pap smear at 21, or three years after becoming sexually active (whichever comes first), and get retested at least every three years until 65.
Complete blood count: This test, which examines red and white cells, hemoglobin and other blood components, can diagnose anemia. The disorder affects about 12 percent of women of childbearing age. Detailed bloodwork, such as chemical or metabolic panels, is unnecessary, says Dr. James King of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Pregnancy: If you're trying to have a baby, you'll need many more tests. Ask your doc.
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Member Comments
Posted By: Bullsfan @ 01/30/2008 10:09:19 AM
Comment: Oh, and let's put eating disorders vs obesity into perspective. Roughly 7 million people have eating disorders in the US. In contrast, 25% of AMericans are obese. That's 75 MILLION people. Which do YOU think is the bigger heath risk.?
Posted By: njdocisin @ 01/27/2008 3:59:47 AM
Comment: The article also left out skin cancer screenings. People 20-40 should have a clinical skin exam at least every 3 years, people 40+ should have one annually, and all people over the age of 20 should be doing montly self-exams. Kind of a big oversight IMO.
Posted By: Ivhie @ 01/21/2008 7:52:51 PM
Comment: Coronary heart/artery disease is not ONLY a genetic disease. It is a well-known fact that many things can contribute to the health of your blood vessels and heart. Coronary artery disease comes about when plaque forms and builds on the arteries. Although people with genetic predisposition can often build the plaque more quickly, genes are not the only factor. Diet, exercise, and a whole host of other factors also play a role. I'm not sure why hamidbak is so sure that CAD and gum disease are not related, but researchers (yes many researchers, and yes they did medical research studies) have found that people with periodontal disease are almost two times as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease. Whether it is a direct cause-and-effect is not certain, but I think that results like that would make me want to brush my teeth and get my cavities taken care of. How about you?