The United States Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts, has advised men to undergo medical tests regularly, depending on their ages and medical history.
According to the experts, screening tests are designed to detect hidden disease in otherwise healthy people, hence the need for the exercise.
The task force adds that the benefits and risks of screening tests and procedures change as people get older, noting that your doctor can help you tailor the recommendations based on a person’s goals of care, personal and family health history, age, and life expectancy.
The following are some of the tests designed for men’s health:
Have a one-time ultrasound imaging of your heart and aorta (the large blood vessel that comes off the heart) between the ages of 65 and 75 if you have ever smoked.
Blood pressure
Have your blood pressured at least every once every two years if it is in the healthy range (under 120/80) or once a year if it is above normal (between 120/80 and 139/89).
Colorectal cancer
Recommended for men ages 50-75. Talk to your doctor about which screening test, (fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy) or combination of tests, is best for you and how often you need it and if you should continue having these tests after 75.
Diabetes
Get tested for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure.
HIV/AIDS
Get tested at least once for HIV/AIDS after age 20, or earlier if you are at high risk for being infected by the human immunodeficiency virus. Discuss further testing with your doctor.
Lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides)
Starting at age 35, all men should have their cholesterol checked regularly. Men at high risk for developing heart disease should start at age 20.
Lung cancer
Annual testing with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) between ages 55 and 80 if you have smoked the equivalent of a pack a day for 30 years and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.
Get tested for chlamydia yearly through age 24 if you are sexually active. After age 25, get tested for chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases if you are at increased risk for getting a sexually transmitted infection.
