Screening tests and vaccines are an important part of managing your health.A screening test is done to find possible disorders or diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so lifestyle changes can be made and you can be watched more closely to reduce the risk of disease, or to detect it early enough to treat it most effectively. Screening tests are not considered diagnostic, but are used to determine if more testing is needed. Health counseling is essential, too. Below are guidelines for these, for men ages 65 and older. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re up-to-date on what you need.
Screening
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Who needs it
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How often
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Abdominal aortic aneurysm
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Men ages 65 to 75 who have ever smoked. Men in this age group who have never smoked could still be offered screening, depending on their family history or other risk factors they may have.
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1-time ultrasound
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Unhealthy alcohol use
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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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Yearly checkup if your blood pressure is normal
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg
If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider
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Colorectal cancer
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All men at average risk in this age group through age 75 who are in good health. For men ages 76 to 85, talk with your healthcare provider to see if you should continue screening. For men 85 and older, screening is not needed.
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Several tests are available and are used at different times. Possible tests include:
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Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or
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Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
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CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years, or
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Yearly fecal occult blood test, or
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Stool DNA test every 3 years
If you choose a test other than a colonoscopy and have an abnormal test result, you will need to have a colonoscopy. Screening recommendations vary among expert groups. Talk with your healthcare provider about which tests are best for you.
Some men should be screened using a different schedule because of their personal or family history. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health history.
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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 beginning at age 45 and men without symptoms at any age who are overweight or obese and have one or more other risk factors for diabetes
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At least every 3 years (yearly if your blood sugar has already begun to rise)
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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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Men at increased risk for infection; those born between 1945 and 1965
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At routine exams
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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
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HIV
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Men at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams
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Lung cancer
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Men ages 55 to 74 who are in fairly good health and are at higher risk for lung cancer
Eligibility criteria and age limit (possibly up to age 80) may vary across major organizations
Talk with your healthcare provider for more information
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Yearly lung screening in smokers with low-dose CT scan (LDCT)
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Obesity
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All men in this age group
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At yearly routine exams
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Prostate cancer
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All men in this age group, talk with your healthcare provider about risks and benefits of testing with digital rectal exam (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening
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At routine exams if you decide to be tested
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Syphilis
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Men at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams
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Tuberculosis
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Men at increased risk for infection
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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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Every 1 to 2 years; if you have a chronic health condition, ask your healthcare provider if you need exams more often
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Vaccine
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Who needs it
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How often
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Chickenpox (varicella)
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All men in this age group who have no record of this infection or vaccine
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2 doses; second dose should be given at least 4 weeks after the first dose
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Hepatitis A
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Men at increased risk for infection
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2 or 3 doses (depending on vaccine) given at least 6 months apart
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Hepatitis B
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Men at increased risk for infection
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2 or 3 doses (depending on the vaccine); second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose; if a third dose, it should be given at least 2 months after the second dose and at least 4 months after the first dose
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Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB)
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Men at increased risk for infection
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1 to 3 doses
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Influenza (flu)
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All men in this age group
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Once a year
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Meningococcal
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Men at increased risk for infection
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1, 2, or 3 doses (depending on vaccine); ask your healthcare provider if you need a booster dose
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Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
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PPSV 23: All men in this age group who have not been vaccinated or have not had infection
PCV 13: Men at risk for infection
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PPSV 23: 1 dose
PCV 13: 1 dose
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Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
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All men in this age group
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Td every 10 years, or a 1-time dose of Tdap instead of a Td booster, then Td every 10 years
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Zoster (shingles)
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All men in this age group
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2 vaccines are available:
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Recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV; Shingrix) is the preferred shingles vaccine. It's given in a series of 2 doses. The second dose is given 2 to 6 months after the first. This is given even if you had shingles before or have had a zoster live vaccine in the past.
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Zoster live vaccine (ZVL; Zostavax) may be given to healthy adults over age 60. It's given in one dose.
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Counseling
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Who needs it
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How often
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Diet and exercise
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Men who are overweight or obese
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When diagnosed, and then at routine exams
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Fall prevention (exercise, vitamin D supplements)
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All men in this age group
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At yearly routine exams
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Sexually transmitted infection
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Men at increased risk for infection
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At yearly routine exams
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Use of daily aspirin
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Men up to age 70 who are at high risk for cardiovascular problems and not at an increased risk of bleeding as identified by your healthcare provider
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When your risk is known
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Use of tobacco and the health effects it can cause
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All men in this age group
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Every visit
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