Recommended Medical Tests

Health and Wellness - General Health

By: hummingbirdee 09-Aug-2012

Introduction:

If you want to take care of your health, medical screening tests are a must. It is important to have these recommended medical tests repeated to make sure everything is working properly.

Cholesterol

One of the most important medical tests is to screen for high cholesterol, which is a fatty protein in the blood that can build up in the arteries. There are two types of cholesterol and both are good indicators of future heart disease. HDL (high-density lipoproteins) is considered to be the good cholesterol and protects the arteries. LDL (low-density lipoproteins) is considered to be the bad cholesterol and causes the build up of plaque in the arteries. The test will discover how much of the good and bad you have in your blood and also measures fats in the blood called triglycerides.

Blood Pressure

Whenever you go for a doctor's appointment, your blood pressure will be checked. Often being nervous will increase your blood pressure. Have the test repeated regularly to get a better overall reading. It is estimated that one in every five individuals has high blood pressure, or hypertension. Elevated blood pressure puts stress on the heart. This could lead to a stroke or heart attack.

Screening For Diabetes

One of the most important recommended medical tests is screening for diabetes, which seems to be on the rise. The test given checks for glucose absorption. If there is a family history for diabetes, testing at a young age may be considered. Otherwise, testing begins at age 45 and should be done every three years after that.

Bone Density Test

Another one of the recommended medical screening tests is checking bone density. Calcium is leached from bones as we age. This can lead to osteoporosis (porous bone). The test is called DXA and it looks at the hips, spine and wrists. Unless there is a family history of osteoporosis, testing begins at age 65. Men think that osteoporosis only happens to women, but that is not the case. They need to be screened, too.

Vitamin D Test

Recommended medical tests now include looking at vitamin D levels in the blood. This vitamin helps to keep bones strong and healthy. It also helps to prevent cancer, infections in the body and heart attacks. If you are not out in the sun a lot, you probably have low levels of vitamin D. In that case, a supplement will be suggested. Age 40 is the time to start medical screening tests for this vitamin.

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Comments

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snowfence 8/26/2012
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Thanks for the list of recommended medical tests.
dptstretch 8/14/2012
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well done...I think I have a simlar list :) H5
JennyHeart 8/12/2012
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Perfect list of important listings on this topic. H5
goodselfme 8/10/2012
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Thank you for your health list. Good alerts for everyone to know that they should get screened for these.
Wasatch 8/9/2012
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I have had a lipid profile that helps identify both Cholesterol and diabetes indicators like triglycerides. Good article