After turning 40, your body goes through various transitions and changes. When you enter this phase of your life, regular medical checkups and health tests become extremely important.
These tests are extremely important to be healthy at this stage of life. Moreover, these tests accompanied by a good diet and ample physical activity will keep you healthy while you age.
Here are some health tests that men should take after turning 40:
- Blood Pressure Screening Test: Blood pressure screening is important and if you have kidney problems, heart-related disorders, or diabetes, this screening test should be done more frequently. 120/80 mm Hg is the normal reading for systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
- Cholesterol Screening Test: According to experts, a cholesterol screening test is recommended once every five years. If you are at risk of developing heart disease, then you must start taking this test at or above 35 years of age. However, if you have conditions like kidney problems, heart disease, or even diabetes, then the frequency of this test needs to be increased.
- Colorectal Cancer Screening Test: Colorectal cancer screening is generally done when you are above 45 years of age but you can start taking these tests at 40 if you have risk factors like family history. Colorectal cancer screening includes several tests like: Faecal immunochemical test (FIT), Stool-based faecal occult blood (gFOBT), Stool sDNA test, Colonoscopy, CT colonography and Flexible sigmoidoscopy.
- Diabetes Screening Test: As Diabetes is very common, the chances of developing this disorder increase with age. Regular diabetes test is often recommended after the age of 44 years. However, if you are overweight and your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 25, you must get your diabetes screened after age 35.
- Prostate cancer screening test: Prostate cancer is extremely common among men. Screening for prostate cancer is generally done in males above 55 years of age. It is noteworthy that the test is not recommended for people with no prostate cancer symptoms. You must get the test done only after consulting your doctor if you have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer due to family history.
Here are some health tests that women should take after turning 40:
- Breast cancer screening: The chances of breast cancer increases with age. Experts often recommend a monthly self-breast examination. Meanwhile, you can have a mammogram test done every 1-2 years after you turn 40.
- Cervical cancer screening: The screening for cervical cancer should start from the age of 21 years. The pap test or HPV test is used once every 5 years for cervical cancer screening in females above 30 years of age. Moreover, you should get a pap test done every 3 years if you have new sexual partners. Pap test is not required if you have had 3 normal test reports in the past 10 years.
- Skin examination: As skin cancer is common among women, you should get your skin checked by a dermatologist at regular intervals.
It is noteworthy that tests like the Colorectal Cancer Screening Test, Blood Pressure Screening Test, Colorectal Cancer Screening Test, and Diabetes Test should be done by both men and women after turning 40 years old.
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