Screening tests and health counseling are an important part of managing your health. A screening test is done to find diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so lifestyle changes and checkups can reduce the risk of disease. Or the goal may be to find it early to treat it most effectively. Screening tests are not used to diagnose a disease. But they are used to see if more testing is needed. Below are guidelines for these, for men ages 65 and older. Talk with your healthcare provider about which tests are best for you and to make sure you’re up to date on what you need.
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Screening
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Who needs it
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How often
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Abdominal aortic aneurysm
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Men ages 65 to 75 who have ever smoked. Men in this age group who have never smoked could still be offered screening, depending on their family history, medical history, or other risk factors they may have.
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One-time ultrasound screening
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Alcohol use or misuse
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Blood pressure
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All men in this age group
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Yearly checkup if your blood pressure is normal
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg
If your blood pressure is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider.
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Colorectal cancer
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All men at average risk in this age group through age 75 who are in good health. For men ages 76 to 85, talk with your healthcare provider to see if you should continue screening. For men 85 and older, screening is not advised.
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Several tests are available and are used at different times.
For tests that find polyps and cancer:
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Colonoscopy every 10 years (recommended), or
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Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or
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CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years
For tests that mainly find cancer:
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Yearly fecal occult blood test, or
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Yearly fecal immunochemical test, or
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Stool DNA test every 3 years
If you choose a test other than a colonoscopy and have an abnormal test result, you will need to have a colonoscopy. Screening recommendations vary among expert groups. Talk with your healthcare provider about which tests are best for you.
Some people should be screened using a different schedule because of their personal or family health history. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health history.
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Depression
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
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All men starting at age 45 and men without symptoms at any age who are overweight or obese and have one or more risk factors for diabetes
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At least every 3 years (annual testing if your blood sugar has begun to rise)
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Type 2 diabetes
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All men with prediabetes
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Every year
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Hepatitis C
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At least once in a lifetime; anyone at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams
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High cholesterol and triglycerides
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All men in this age group
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Every 4 to 6 years for normal-risk adults. Some people with elevated risk factors should be screened more often. Talk with your healthcare provider for more information.
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HIV
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Anyone at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams
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Lung cancer
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Men between the ages of 50 to 80 who are in fairly good health and are at higher risk for lung cancer who:
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Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years, and
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Have a 20-pack year history of smoking (1 pack/day for 20 years or 2 packs/day for 10 years)
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Yearly lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan (LDCT); talk with your healthcare provider about your risk and situation
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Obesity
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All adults
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At routine exams. talk with your healthcare provider if your BMI is 30 or higher
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Prostate cancer
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Men aged 55 to 69, talk to healthcare provider about risks and benefits of digital rectal exam (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. PSA screening is not routinely recommended in men ages 70 and older.
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At routine exams
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Syphilis
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Anyone at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams
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Tuberculosis
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Anyone at increased risk for infection
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Check with your healthcare provider
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Vision
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All adults
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Every 1 to 2 years. If you have a chronic disease, ask your healthcare provider how often you need an exam.
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