Medical Health Encyclopedia

Preventive health care

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Preventative medicine

Overview

Preventive health care

Information:

The most important part of preventive health care is maintaining good health habits. This includes:

• Daily exercise
• Weight control
• Proper nutrition
• Avoidance of smoking and drug abuse
• Abstinence from or moderation of alcohol use
• Proper control of any diseases or disorders (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high levels of cholesterol in the blood)

In addition to these habits, there are some other professional services that may prove worthwhile in either preventing or at least minimizing disease.

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1. Periodic screening of adults for specific problems is important and recommended:

• Pap smear -- cervical cancer screening
  • Sexually-active female adolescents and women over age 20 (regardless of sexual activity) should have an annual Pap smear. After 3 consecutive, negative, annual Pap smear tests, women who are celibate (not sexually active) or monogamous (have only one partner) and younger than 35 - 40 years of age may decrease Pap smear testing to every 2 - 3 years.
  • Women over the age of 40, women with multiple sexual partners, and women who take oral contraceptives should have an annual Pap smear.
  • Women with a medical history of HPV (genital warts) should have a Pap smear every 6 months.
• Breast self-examination (BSE) should be taught during adolescence and continued on a monthly basis throughout a woman's life.
• Mammography -- radiologic (x-ray) evaluation of the breast tissue
  • A baseline mammogram is recommended for women at age 40.
  • Mammograms should be repeated every 2 years for women between 40 and 50 years old, if the baseline test is clear.
  • An annual mammogram is recommended for women over 50.
  • A mammogram may be done at earlier age or at more frequent intervals if problems are suspected, or the woman is at increased risk (for instance, if a first-degree relative has had breast cancer).
• Testicular self-examination (TSE) should be taught during adolescence and continued on a monthly basis throughout a man's life.
• Prostate cancer screening
  • Prostate health should be evaluated by annual digital rectal examination for men over 40.
  • PSA (prostate specific antigen) may also be used as a test to screen for prostate cancer, but it is not specific and may indicate benign growth of the prostate (benign prostatic hypertrophy) as a man gets older. Screening may begin earlier if there is a strong family history.
• Cholesterol screening
  • A baseline total cholesterol measurement, as well as a measurement of bad (LDL) and good cholesterol (HDL), should be obtained for all adults between 18 and 20 years of age. If normal, the test should be repeated every 5 years. Individuals at higher risk, including children with a strong family history of hyperlipidemia, may be screened earlier and at more frequent intervals.
• Colon cancer screening
  • A stool guaiac or other test for occult (hidden) blood in the stool should be done every year after age 50 (or sooner if there is a family history of colon cancer).
  • A flexible sigmoidoscopy is recommended every 3 years after age 50 (earlier or at more frequent intervals for individuals at higher risk); colonoscopy, which is probably a better screening test than flexible sigmoidoscopy need only be repeated every 5 - 10 years if normal.
• Blood pressure should be checked annually.
• Weight should be checked annually unless there are notable weight losses or gains.
• Dental examinations and cleaning should be routine, every 6 months or so.