Health Maintenance Guidelines for Men
For the Adult Male (Age 18 and older)
What can you do to stay healthy and prevent disease? You can get certain screening tests, take preventive medicine if needed, and practice healthy behaviors. Tri-City Family Medicine recommends you follow the guidelines described below to stay healthy. Obviously, these guidelines cannot encompass all health maintenance guidelines, due to the various risk factors that each patient may have or may experience. We recommend you follow the guidelines described, and be sure to discuss your personal risk factors and health maintenance guidelines with your physician. We will make every effort to help you stay healthy, but the ultimate responsibility is yours.
SCREENING TESTS AND CANCER PREVENTION*
The three (3) most common forms of cancer found in the adult male are lung cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. Please follow the recommended guidelines described below for the early detection of these types of cancer and other diseases. If you have certain risk factors in your personal medical history, and/or in your family medical history, you may need to have screening tests performed at an early age. Please be sure to review health maintenance guidelines and cancer prevention with your physician at least annually and when there is a significant change in your personal medical history, and/or your family medical history.
Heart Disease
Have an exercise cardiac stress test beginning at age 50. If you have risk factors and/or a personal or family medical history significant for heart disease, you may need to have an exercise cardiac stress test earlier than age 50. Be sure to review your risk factors and medical history with your physician to determine when you should start having an exercise cardiac stress test.
Cholesterol Checks
Have your cholesterol checked regularly starting at age 35. If you smoke, have diabetes, or if heart disease runs in your family, start having your cholesterol checked at age 20.
Colorectal Cancer Tests
Have a screening test, Fecal Occult Blood Test ("FOBT") for colorectal cancer every year starting at age 50. Have a Colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 50.
Prostate Cancer Screening
Have a PSA (blood test for prostate cancer) every year starting at age 50, after discussing risks and benefits with your doctor.
Testicular Exam
Perform a self testicular exam monthly starting at age 18. Have a testicular exam performed by your doctor annually starting at age 18.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Talk to your doctor to see whether you should be screened for sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV or Gonorrhea, if you are sexually active.
MEDICINES TO PREVENT DISEASE
Aspirin
Talk to your doctor about taking aspirin to prevent heart disease if you are older than 45 and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you smoke.
Immunizations
Stay up-to-date with your immunizations. Have a flu shot every year starting at age 50. Have a tetanus-diptheria shot every 10 years. Have a pneumonia shot once at age 65.
OTHER BEHAVIORS THAT WILL HELP YOU STAY HEALTHY
Alcohol
Drink alcohol only in moderation. If you drink alcohol, have no more than 1 drink a day.
Exercise
Be physically active. Walk, dance, ride a bike, or do any other physical activity you enjoy. Start small and work up to a total of 30 minutes most days of the week.
Healthy Diet
Eat a variety of foods, including fruit, vegetables, animal or vegetable protein, such as meat, fish, chicken and eggs, or beans, lentils, tofu, and grains, such as rice. Limit the amount of saturated fat you eat.
Healthy Weight
Stay at a healthy weight. Balance the number of calories you eat with the number you burn off by your activities.
Smoking
Don't smoke. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. You can take medicine to help you quit. Make a plan and set a quit date. Tell your family, friends, and co-workers you are quitting and ask for their support.
*Additional Guidelines
If you have a significant personal and/or family medical history for certain diseases, such as heart disease, prostate cancer or colon cancer, you may need to have screening tests performed earlier than the ages recommended in the guidelines above. Please be sure to review your personal and/or family medical history with your physician. Upon turning age 65, have a "Welcome to Medicare Exam, "which includes an Ultrasound Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.