What Are Men’s Healthcare Services?

It is in your best interests to visit your health care provider regularly. Even when you feel fine, you can still benefit from regular checkups. These exams can help you avoid future problems. The only way to determine if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked regularly. High blood sugar and high cholesterol levels often have no symptoms in the initial stages. Simple blood tests will check for these conditions.

Below are healthcare guidelines for men ages 40 to 64.

Blood Pressure Screening

Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year. More often if:

  1. You have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, are overweight, or have other health conditions.
  2. You have a relative with high blood pressure.
  3. Your blood pressure top number is from 120 to 129 mm Hg, or the bottom number is from 70 to 79 mm Hg.

Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider to learn how to reduce your blood pressure.

Cholesterol Screening

It is recommended to start cholesterol screening at age 20 and repeat every 4 to 6 years. Cholesterol screening should happen more often if:

  1. You have weight gain, or other changes occur in your lifestyle.
  2. You have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, high blood pressure, stroke, blood flow problems, or certain other conditions.
  3. You are taking medicines to control high cholesterol.

Colorectal Cancer Screening

If you are under age 45, you might need to be screened if you have a family history of colon cancer or polyps. Screening could also be considered if you have risk factors like a history of inflammatory bowel disease or polyps. If you are 45 to 75, you need to be screened for colorectal cancer. There are several screening tests available:

  1. Colonoscopy every 10 years.
  2. A stool DNA test every 1 to 3 years.
  3. A stool-based fecal occult blood test every year.
  4. Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years.
  5. CT colonography every 5 years.

You may need a colonoscopy more often if you have risk factors such as:

  1. Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
  2. A family history of colorectal cancer or polyps.
  3. A family history of inherited colorectal cancer syndromes.

Dental Exam

See your dentist twice every year for an exam and cleaning.

Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Screening

You should be screened for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes beginning at age 35 if you are overweight or have obesity. Screening should be repeated every 3 years if you remain overweight.

Eye Exam

Have an eye exam every 2 to 4 years for ages 40 to 54 and every 1 to 3 years for ages 55 to 64.

Immunizations

Commonly recommended vaccines include:

  1. Flu shot- You should get one every year.
  2. COVID-19 vaccine- Recommended for everyone age 6 months and older.
  3. Tetanus-diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine- Have Tdap as one of your tetanus-diphtheria vaccines if you did not receive it as an adolescent.
  4. Tetanus-diphtheria- Have a booster every 10 years.
  5. Varicella vaccine- Receive 2 doses if you have never had chickenpox or the varicella vaccine.
  6. Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine- Receive 1 to 2 doses if you are not already immune to MMR.
  7. Hepatitis B vaccine- Receive 2, 3, or 4 doses, depending on your exact circumstances, if you did not receive these as a child or adolescent, until age 59.
  8. Shingles vaccine- 2 doses at or after age 50.

Infectious Disease Screening

All adults aged 18 to 79 should get a one-time test for hepatitis C. All people ages 15 to 65 should get a one-time test for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Annual HIV screening is recommended for people at increased risk.

Lung Cancer Screening

You should have an annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) if:

  1. You have a twenty-pack-a-year smoking history.
  2. You are 50 to 80 years of age.
  3. You currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

Osteoporosis Screening

If you are aged 50 to 69 and have risk factors for osteoporosis. Risk factors can include low body weight, long-term steroid use, smoking, heavy alcohol use, having a fracture after age 50, or a family history.

Physical Exam

Your blood pressure, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) should be checked at every exam. During your exam, your provider may ask you about:

  1. Diet and exercise.
  2. Alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.
  3. Depression and anxiety.
  4. Your medicines and risk for interactions.

Prostate Cancer Screening

If you are 55 through 69 years old, ask about:

  1. Whether there is any harm from prostate cancer screening.
  2. Whether screening decreases your chance of dying from prostate cancer.
  3. Whether you have a higher risk of prostate cancer than others.

Skin Exam

Your health provider may check your skin for signs of skin cancer. You may be at elevated risk if you:

  1. Have had skin cancer before.
  2. Have a weakened immune system.
  3. Have close relatives with skin cancer.

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