What tests and vaccinations are needed at different periods of life

What to do for regular prevention

Get a flu shot once a year

It seems that this is not such a serious disease, but every year in the world it causes the death of up to 650 thousand people. Millions more end up in hospitals because of the severe flu, although it could have been prevented by getting vaccinated.

It should be done once a year for all people over 6 months old. An exception is the presence of a rare allergy to the vaccine. For more information on when to get vaccinated, how it works and who is contraindicated, read here.

Get tested for STIs once a year (or more often)

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affect millions of people every year. Moreover, the most common diseases (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV) do not have pronounced symptoms in the early stages.

This is especially dangerous because the host can infect a partner without realizing it. Untreated infections lead to serious complications, including inflammation of the internal organs and infertility.

Therefore, it is extremely important to get tested on time:

Everyone who is sexually active - once a year for the most common STIs: syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV.
For those who frequently change partners, have unprotected sex, or use intravenous drugs, every 3–6 months.
Women at the beginning of pregnancy - additional tests for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.

Check your blood pressure once a year

High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Among the preventable causes of heart attack and stroke, only smoking is overtaken. The pressure is very easy to follow. It can be checked in any hospital or at home if you get a tonometer.

For many years, the threshold for high blood pressure was considered to be 140/90 and above, but in 2018 the American Heart Association changed the framework. Now this pressure is above 130/80. The first number is the indicator at the moment of heart contraction, the second - at the moment of its relaxation.

If you are generally in good health, check your blood pressure once a year. If you are in the high probability group, then more often. Risk factors: smoking and alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, heredity.

As soon as you notice an increase, see a specialist. In the early stages, problems can be prevented by dietary and lifestyle changes; later, medication will be needed.

Donate blood for sugar every 3 years

Chronic high blood sugar levels are an indicator of diabetes. It can lead to serious consequences: stroke, heart attack, blindness, amputation of limbs, peripheral arterial disease.

One of the leading risk factors for developing diabetes is age. Therefore, after 45 years, it is advised to check blood sugar every 3 years. Before taking the test, you need not eat for 8 hours.

If you are in a high-risk group, check your blood sugar once a year, even if you are under 45. Here are the main risk factors:

Heredity;
Overweight and lack of physical activity;
Hypertension;
Significantly increased cholesterol levels;
Gestational diabetes (during pregnancy);
Polycystic ovary syndrome.

Check your cholesterol every 5 years

Elevated cholesterol levels have been linked to cardiovascular disease, so it's important to keep track of them. The American Heart Association recommends testing every 4-6 years after you turn 20. Consider your LDL and HDL (low and high density lipoprotein) levels, total cholesterol and triglycerides.

Those who are at risk of cardiovascular disease need to be checked more often - every 1-2 years. Factors that increase the likelihood of poor test results are:

Smoking;
Diabetes;
Excess weight;
Lack of physical activity;
Age: for men - over 45, for women - over 55;
Hereditary heart disease.

Get a tetanus booster every 10 years

This is not the most common disease, because in developed countries they are vaccinated against it in early childhood. Bacteria can enter the body through cuts, wounds and scratches. Within the body, they develop and produce toxins that lead to painful muscle cramps. If they affect the respiratory or cardiovascular system, death can result.

Adults need to be boosted every 10 years. The exception is people who have ever had Guillain-Barré syndrome or a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose of tetanus vaccine.

What to do after 20

Get vaccinated against HPV (if you haven’t done so before)

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancer. HPV is transmitted primarily through sexual contact, as well as through any bodily contact and household items. It is so common that most sexually active men and women contract it at some point.

Most often, the immune system itself copes with the virus, but several strains can remain in the body and eventually cause genital warts (condylomas) and various types of cancer (cancer of the pharynx, mouth, anus, vagina). HPV-16 and HPV-18 strains cause cervical cancer, so vaccination can be life-saving for women.

Ideally, vaccination should be carried out at 12-13 years old, before the onset of sexual activity, but it is possible later. This is primarily true for women, but men also need immunization to avoid genital warts and reduce the likelihood of certain types of cancer.

If you are a woman, have an oncocytology smear done every 3 years

This is necessary for the timely detection of precancerous changes in the vagina and cervix. The frequency of the procedure depends on the age:

Women 21-29 years old are recommended to undergo a cytological examination every 3 years. Until the age of 21, this is not necessary.
From 30 to 65 years old - every 5 years, take a smear and analysis for HPV.
After 65, a smear is needed if you are at high risk (family cervical cancer, previous smear positive).

What to do after 40

Start Screening for Colon Cancer

It is recommended to undergo regular examinations from 45 to at least 75 years of age. Start with non-invasive methods (optional):

Immunochemical study of feces - annually;
Fecal occult blood test - annually;
Fecal DNA analysis - every 3 years.

After 50, undergo more serious examinations (optional):

Colonoscopy - every 10 years;
Virtual colonoscopy - once every 5 years (tomography of the abdominal and groin areas is performed, the procedure is less invasive compared to conventional colonoscopy);
Flexible sigmoidoscopy - every 5 years.

If you are in a high-risk group, it is worth starting tests before the age of 45. Here are the main hazards:

Family history of bowel cancer, hereditary bowel cancer syndrome;
Polyps;
Inflammatory bowel disease;
Experience in radiation therapy in the abdominal and groin areas.

What to do after 50

Get the shingles vaccine

Anyone who has chickenpox can get these painful rashes on the body. After recovery, the virus remains inactive for years, but can appear at a time when the immune system is weakened. Therefore, the risk increases with age.

And shingles is not just an unpleasant rash. It can lead to chronic pain, blindness, neuralgia, facial paralysis, and hearing loss.

You can protect yourself from shingles by vaccination. There are now two varieties: Zostavax, which has been in effect for about three years, and the more effective Shingrix. Vaccination is recommended for all people over 50, with the exception of those with a weakened immune system.

If you are a woman, have breast exams regularly

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, so do not neglect regular check-ups. Now mammography is recommended to be done every 2 years for women aged 50 to 75 years.

Those who are at high risk should start testing before 50. You fall into this category if you have:

Breast cancer cases in two close female relatives under 50.
Genetic mutations that increase the likelihood of breast cancer (genes BRCA1 and BRCA2).

Consider screening for prostate cancer if you are a man

Screening tests for a marker called prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. In the presence of cancer, the prostate gland produces an increased amount of it.

However, the increase in PSA levels can be caused by other reasons not related to cancer. And false positives can lead to unnecessary treatment with serious side effects, including erectile dysfunction and incontinence.

Therefore, men between the ages of 55 and 69 are now advised to discuss the need for screening with their doctor. If you are in a high risk group (family cases), it is advisable for you to go through it. Otherwise - only if it is necessary in the opinion of a specialist.

For men over 70, the negative effects of overtreatment outweigh the potential benefits. Therefore, after 70, screening is not necessary.

What to do after 60

Check bone density

Osteoporosis is one of the main health threats after age 65. This is a decrease in bone density, which greatly increases the risk of fractures. Older people are most likely to suffer a hip fracture. It often leads to a loss of independence, a decrease in the quality of life, and many times increases mortality.

Women are especially at risk because their bones are smaller and thinner. In addition, after menopause, the production of estrogen in the female body decreases. This accelerates the loss of bone density.

Therefore, all women over the age of 65 are advised to check their bone density with an X-ray densitometer. It is a painless, non-invasive procedure.

Women under the age of 65 who have already gone through menopause should consider researching if they are at risk. The dangerous factors are as follows:

Smoking and drinking alcohol;
Low body weight;
Parental cases of osteoporosis.

Men also suffer from this disease, although less often than women. Their process of reducing bone density is slower and the consequences are felt after 70 years. At this age, they should also undergo densitometry. Especially for those who are at high risk.

Get vaccinated against pneumonia

As you get older, your immune system weakens, making it harder for your body to fight off pathogens. As a result, older people are more vulnerable to various infections. Pneumonia (pneumococcal infection) is one of the most dangerous among them. It is best protected from it by vaccination, which should be given to everyone over 65 years old.

Keep in mind that any vaccination can cause minor side effects, such as soreness and slight swelling at the injection site. If the previous vaccine for pneumonia caused a serious adverse reaction, discuss the need for a new immunization with your doctor.