A preventive approach is necessary at any age to maintain good health, but many people are often in the dark about what that involves.
Before scheduling another routine visit to the doctor, women and men should know the health risks for their age group and be prepared to talk with their physician about the necessary medical screenings.
There are several key areas patients should discuss with their physicians, says Dr. James Sams, an internal medicine specialist at Piedmont Hospital.
When people enter their 20s, they need to be aware of the vaccines they've had in their lifetime, as well as their family medical history, Sams said.
"They need that piece of family history so that when they do talk to their physicians, they can give them those important pieces of information that help a physician personalize or stratify their risk and determine if what's there may not be appropriate."
Patients in this age group should also begin to approach their doctor about baselines, or cholesterol, lipid and blood pressure screenings.
"These are not immediate concerns, but elevations in cholesterol and blood pressure will produce problems down the road, so a good baseline screening in your 20s, I think is appropriate," Sams said.
Women, especially those with a family history of breast cancer, should discuss when breast self-exams should begin.
Despite the recent controversy over the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's new annual mammogram recommendations for women ages 40 to 49, which suggested that breast self-exams do not contribute to reduced breast cancer death rates, Sams continues to urge young women to perform the self-exam. "There's very little harm in it," he said.
Pap smears, and pelvic exams are also needed, but may be required only once every few years, depending on the patient's medical record. Pap, or Papanicolaou tests, screens for infection and cervical cancer, while pelvic exams are used to detect abnormalities that may be related to uterine and ovarian cancer.
Sams also encourages young men to perform testicle self-exams and note any changes in their prostate.
"[Testicular cancer] is more common in that age group --- think Lance Armstrong," he said.
Physicians always encourage patients to practice safe sex, avoid drinking and driving, use seat belts, and end tobacco and drug use. Women can encounter reproductive problems from some sexually transmitted diseases, and cervical cancer has been linked to certain viral infections that are transmitted sexually.
Additional health screenings become more routine for people in their 30s, Sams said.
Once women reach 35, they should begin discussing the need for annual mammograms, especially if they have abnormalities in their breast tissue or are considered high risk for breast cancer.
Men and women should have another baseline screening and talk over any changes in cholesterol and blood pressure elevations.
Once people enter their 40s, baseline checks for cholesterol and blood pressure should become increasingly regular, and women need to begin having annual mammograms and pelvic exams.
Men should also inquire about scheduling a digital rectal exam, which determines changes and abnormalities in the prostate. Until men reach 40, annual doctors' visits aren't necessarily required unless determined by a physician.
Both men and women in their 40s should also begin discussing colon cancer prevention and disclose any changes to their bowel movements.
Patients in their 50s are expected to have a colonoscopy to screen for small precancerous legions in the colon. If caught early, they can be removed, but legions left undetected may develop into cancer.
"Colon cancer is a potentially preventable cancer," Sams said.
Annual health screenings will continue at this rate until patients enter their late 70s, at which point the patient and doctor may determine that mammograms and other cancer screenings are no longer necessary.
Weight management, regular exercise and a healthy diet should be on a patient's radar at any age. Any changes in weight should be assessed by a doctor, Sams said.
Patients should feel free to bring up any health concerns they have, Sams said. "Doctors need all the help they can get."
Copyright 2009 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution