Learn the Facts
When you get a preventive medical test,
you're not just doing it for yourself. You're doing it for your family and
loved ones:
-- Men are 24 percent less likely than women
to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to
have neglected their cholesterol tests.
-- Men are 28 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
-- Men are 32 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than
twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications
related to diabetes.
-- Men are 24 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an
immunization.
The single most important way you can take
care of yourself and those you love is to actively take part in your health
care. Educate yourself on health care and participate in decisions with your
doctor. This site will help you get started.
2. 1
Overview
**Learn the Facts**
When you get a preventive medical test,
you're not just doing it for yourself. You're doing it
for your family and
loved ones:
3. 2
Overview
**Learn the Facts**
-- Men are 24 percent less likely than women
to have visited a doctor within the past year and
are 22 percent more likely to
have neglected their cholesterol tests.
-- Men are 28 percent more likely than women
4. 3
Overview
**Learn the Facts**
to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
-- Men are 32 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for long-term complications of
diabetes and are more than
twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot
amputated due to complications
5. 4
Overview
**Learn the Facts**
related to diabetes.
-- Men are 24 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have
been prevented by getting an
immunization.
The single most important way you can take
6. 5
Overview
**Learn the Facts**
care of yourself and those you love is to actively
take part in your health
care. Educate yourself on health care and
participate in decisions with your
doctor. This site will help you get started.
7. 6
Preventive Medical Tests
Screening tests can find diseases early,
when they’re easiest to treat. Talk to your doctor
about which preventive
medical tests you need to stay healthy.
8. 7
Preventive Medical Tests
**Body Mass Index**
Your body mass index, or BMI, is a measure of your
body fat based on your
height and weight. It is used to screen for obesity.
You can find your BMI by
visitinghttp://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi.
9. 8
Preventive Medical Tests
**Cholesterol**
Once you turn 35 (or once you turn 20 if you have
risk factors like diabetes,
history of heart disease, tobacco use, high blood
pressure, or BMI of 30 or
over), have your cholesterol checked regularly.
High blood cholesterol is one
10. 9
Preventive Medical Tests
**Cholesterol**
of the major risk factors for heart disease.
**Blood Pressure**
Have your blood pressure checked every 2 years.
High blood pressure increases
your chance of getting heart or kidney disease and
for having a stroke. If you
11. 10
Preventive Medical Tests
**Cholesterol**
have high blood pressure, you may need
medication to control it.
**Cardiovascular Disease**
Beginning at age 45 and through age 79, ask your
doctor if you should take
aspirin every day to help lower your risk of a heart
attack. How much aspirin
12. 11
Preventive Medical Tests
**Cholesterol**
you should take depends on your age, your health,
and your lifestyle.
**Colorectal Cancer**
Beginning at age 50 and through age 75, get tested
for colorectal cancer. You
and your doctor can decide which test is best. How
often you'll have the test
15. 14
Preventive Medical Tests
**Sexually Transmitted Diseases**
Talk to your doctor to see whether you should be
tested for gonorrhea,
syphilis, chlamydia, or other sexually transmitted
diseases.
16. 15
Preventive Medical Tests
**HIV**
Your doctor may recommend screening for HIV if
you:
-- Have sex with men
-- Had unprotected sex with multiple partners
-- Have used injected drugs
17. 16
Preventive Medical Tests
**HIV**
-- Pay for sex or have sex partners who do
-- Have past or current sex partners who are
infected with HIV
-- Are being treated for sexually transmitted
diseases
19. 18
Preventive Medical Tests
**Depression**
If you have felt "down" or hopeless during the past
2 weeks or you
have had little interest in doing things you usually
enjoy, talk to your doctor
about depression. Depression is a treatable illness.
20. 19
Preventive Medical Tests
**Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm **
If you are between the ages of 65 and 75 and have
smoked 100 or more cigarettes
in your lifetime, ask your doctor to screen you for
an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
This is an abnormally large or swollen blood vessel
in your stomach that can
21. 20
Preventive Medical Tests
**Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm **
burst without warning.
**Diabetes **
If your blood pressure is higher than 135/80, ask
your doctor to test you for
diabetes. Diabetes, or high blood sugar, can cause
problems with your heart,
22. 21
Preventive Medical Tests
**Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm **
eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves, and other body parts.
**Tobacco Use **
If you smoke or use tobacco, talk to your doctor
about quitting. For tips on
how to quit, go to http://www.smokefree.gov or
call the National
25. 24
Stay Healthy
**Be physically active **
Walking briskly, mowing the lawn, playing team
sports, and biking are just a
few examples of how you can get moving. If you
are not already physically
active, start small and work up to 30 minutes a day
of moderate physical
26. 25
Stay Healthy
**Be physically active **
activity for most days of the week.
**Eat a healthy diet**
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or
low-fat dairy products are
healthy choices. Lean meats, poultry, fish, beans,
eggs, and nuts are good,
27. 26
Stay Healthy
**Be physically active **
too. Try to eat foods that are low in saturated fats,
trans fats, cholesterol,
salt, and added sugars.
28. 27
Stay Healthy
**Stay at a healthy weight**
Try to balance the calories you take in with the
calories you burn with your
physical activities. As you age, eat fewer calories
and increase your physical
activity. This will prevent gradual weight gain over
time.
29. 28
Stay Healthy
**Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all**
Current dietary guidelines for Americans
recommend that if you choose to drink
alcoholic beverages, you do not exceed 2 drinks
per day for men (1 drink per
day for women). Some people should not drink
alcoholic beverages at all,
30. 29
Stay Healthy
**Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all**
including:
-- Individuals who cannot restrict their
drinking to moderate levels.
-- Individuals who plan to drive, operate
machinery, or take part in other activities that
requires attention, skill, or
31. 30
Stay Healthy
**Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all**
coordination.
-- Individuals taking prescription or
over-the-counter medications that can interact
with alcohol.
-- Individuals with specific medical
conditions.
32. 31
Stay Healthy
**Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all**
-- Persons recovering from alcoholism.
**Don’t smoke**
For more information on quitting, visit Quit
Smoking section .
33. 32
Stay Healthy
**Take aspirin to avoid a heart attack**
If you are at risk for a heart attack (you’re over 45,
smoke, or have diabetes,
high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family
history of heart disease),
check with your doctor and find out if taking
aspirin is the right choice for
35. 34
Vaccines
You may need one or more vaccines, even if
you received vaccines as a child or as a younger
adult. Ask your doctor which
ones are right for you. Vaccines recommended for
older adults can prevent:
38. 37
Vaccines
personalized vaccine recommendations based on
your age, occupation, health
status and other factors.
See the Adult Immunization Schedule to see which
vaccines you
may need, and talk to your provider about getting
vaccinated. Don’t forget if