Screening tests and health counseling are a key part of managing your health. A screening test is done to find disorders or diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. Screening tests are not used to diagnose. They are used to find out if more testing is needed. The goal may be to find a disease early so it can be treated with more success. Or the goal may be to find a disease early so you can make lifestyle changes. You may need regular checkups to help you reduce your risk of disease.
Below are guidelines for men ages 40 to 49. Talk with your healthcare provider. Make sure you’re up-to-date on what you need.
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Screening
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Who needs it
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How often
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Alcohol misuse
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Blood pressure
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All men in this age group
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Once a year if your blood pressure is normal. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. If your blood pressure is higher than this, follow the advice of your healthcare provider.
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Depression
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
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All men ages 35 to 70 with no symptoms who are overweight or obese.
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At least every 3 years (yearly if blood sugar has begun to rise)
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BMI (body mass index)
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All men in this age group
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Every year, to help find out if you are at a healthy weight for your height
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Type 2 diabetes
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All men with prediabetes
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Every year
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Hepatitis C
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All adults ages 18 and older at least once in a lifetime.
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Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk factors and how often to have hepatitis C screening.
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High cholesterol or triglycerides
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All men in this age group
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At least every 5 years; or at least every 1 to 2 years for men ages 45 to 65. Expert groups vary in their advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk and how often you should be tested.
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HIV
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Obesity
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Prostate cancer
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Starting at age 45, talk with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of these:
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At routine exams
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Colorectal cancer
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Men age 45 and older at average risk
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Talk with your healthcare provider about which test below is right for you:
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Colonoscopy every 10 years
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Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or every 10 with yearly fecal immunochemical test (FIT) stool test
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CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years
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Yearly fecal occult blood test
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Yearly FIT
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FIT-DNA test (also referred to as stool DNA test) every 3 years
If you have a test that is not a colonoscopy and have an abnormal test result, you will need a colonoscopy.
You may need to be screened more or less often. This is based on personal or family health history. Talk with your healthcare provider.
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Syphilis
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Men who are at higher risk for infection. Talk with your healthcare provider.
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At routine exams
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Tuberculosis
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Men who are at higher risk for infection. Talk with your healthcare provider.
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Talk with your healthcare provider
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Vision
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All men in this age group
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Baseline screening at age 40. Talk with your healthcare provider about how often to have vision exams.
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