your health
A few simple tests and vaccines are your best bet for stopping health problems before they start. Here’s your guide to what you need and when you need it.
An Ounce of Prevention ASK FOR THIS
Blood Pressure Check Have your blood pressure checked every time you go for a visit (at least every two years). Because blood pressure tends to climb with age, catching a high reading in your 20s or 30s could prevent serious problems later. Have your blood pressure checked more often if it is above 120/80.
Cholesterol Test Get your cholesterol tested every five years (and more often if your doctor considers you high-risk). Tell your doctor if you smoke or have a family history of heart disease.
STD Tests Sexually active women who are not in a mutually monogamous relationship should be tested annually for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. You may also want to ask your doctor about getting the hepatitis A and B vaccines. Women under 26 should get the HPV vaccine, also known as the cervical cancer vaccine.
Pap Smear* Women in their 20s should have a regular Pap test every year or a liquid-based Pap test every two years. Women ages 30 and older who have had three normal Pap smears in a row should have a Pap smear every two to three years. If your tests have been normal for the last 10 years, you can stop having them at age 70.
Breast Exams & Mammograms* In their 20s and 30s, women should get a physician-performed breast exam at least every three years. At age 40, women should increase their physician- performed breast exams from every three years to every year, and begin getting an annual mammogram.
» * Based on American Cancer Society recommendations. Your doctor may suggest other testing schedules based on your health history. FALL 2010 | HEALTHY ADVICE 33 20s-30s ✔ 40s-50s ✔ 60s+ ✔
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Physician-performed breast exam only
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