This Is the #1 Most Important Screening To Get Every Year if You’re 50 or Older
Keeping up with all the various doctors' appointments can seem like a never-ending task. In addition to checkups with your primary healthcare provider, there are eye appointments, dental appointments and, for women, gynecologist appointments. All of these are important at every age, but they’re especially important to keep up with as we age.
And while each type of appointment looks out for specific health needs, there’s one screening in particular that doctors say it’s important to get every year if you’re 50 or older. If your doctor doesn’t automatically do it, it’s important to request it to protect yourself from health conditions that would otherwise be avoided.
We'll cover the exact screening that doctors recommend, as well as why individuals over 50 shouldn't skip their checkups.
Related: This Is the Absolute Best Walking Workout for People Over 50, According to a Physical Therapist
Why It’s Important To Be Extra Vigilant About Health as We Age
There’s a reason why it’s important to make sure you don’t skip doctor's appointments if you are 50 or older. “As we age, our bodies become more ‘brittle’ in different aspects so we have to be more cautious about things ‘breaking,’” says Dr. Michael Tehrani, MD, an award-winning internal medicine doctor and geriatrician physician at Brand New Day. For example, he says that bones lose density as we age, which can cause them to break more easily, cancers can start and spread if they aren’t caught early, and blood pressure can creep up, leading to a stroke or heart attack.
Dr. Akash Bajaj, MD, MPH, a triple board-certified physician specializing in pain management, says this is exactly why health screenings are so important. “Vulnerability to disease becomes a greater issue as we age, so frequent checkups can detect conditions early thereby making the chances for successful treatment higher,” he says. “Just as important, we have the tools and techniques today that can halt or even reverse the signs of aging, including the onset of various medical conditions.”
Related: This Is the Most Important Food to Eat If You're Over Age 50, According to a Registered Dietitian
The Most Important Screening People 50 and Older Should Get Every Year
In terms of which health screening to prioritize, there’s one at the top of Dr. Tehrani’s list: blood pressure. “Blood pressure checks should happen at even younger ages, but especially at over 50 because as we age, our arteries get stiffer causing blood pressure to go up,” he says. He explains that high blood pressure can cause long-term damage such as kidney disease, heart failure, vision loss, vascular dementia, or sudden damage such as stroke or heart attack.
The reason why this is especially noteworthy is because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Men ages 45 and older and women ages 55 and older are more likely to have a heart attack than people who are younger. Heart disease is largely avoidable through healthy diet and lifestyle habits (and prescription medication) but someone may not know how crucial it is to adopt these habits if they aren’t sure what their blood pressure numbers are. In addition to being checked by a healthcare provider, blood pressure levels can also be checked at home with a blood pressure cuff.
If your blood pressure levels are high, this is a sign that it’s important to adopt healthier habits and to discuss with your doctor if prescription medication could play a role in terms of bringing your numbers down.
Related: The One Habit That Could Lower Your Blood Pressure Overnight, According to a Cardiologist
Other Important Screenings To Get If You’re 50 or Older
Blood pressure isn’t the only screening you should prioritize if you are 50 or older. Dr. Bajaj says that there are several cancer screenings it’s important not to neglect as well. For women, he says breast cancer screenings should be a top priority while men should prioritize prostate cancer screenings. “Women, especially those with a family history of breast cancer, may want to consider getting screened in their 40s or even earlier,” he recommends.
Dr. Bajaj also says that colonoscopies are a must for anyone 50 or older and especially for anyone with a family history of colon cancer. In addition to breast cancer screenings, prostate cancer screenings and colonoscopies, Dr. Bajaj says that men and women over 50 should see a dermatologist for skin screenings to catch skin cancer at an early stage and not to skip out on eye appointments. He adds that women should also get bone density tests to screen for osteoporosis.
If all of this sounds like a lot, it is, but both doctors reiterate that health screenings can save lives. “As Benjamin Franklin once famously said, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ Prevention happens with screening tests,” Dr. Tehrani says. “Most people delay screening tests because they feel healthy but if you start doing tests when you are not healthy, then it is too late.”
He makes the analogy of comparing screenings to oil checks for your car. “If you’re not doing regular oil changes on your car, then one morning your engine has a knock, but at that point, it’s too late to change the oil and the damage has been done,” he explains.
Regular health screenings are your first defense against health problems. Keeping up with them just might save your life.
Next up, find out what supplements are actually worth taking if you're 50 or older.
Sources
Dr. Michael Tehrani, MD, award-winning internal medicine doctor and geriatrician physician at Brand New Day
Dr. Akash Bajaj, MD, MPH, triple board-certified physician specializing in pain management