Routine tests for over-50s

Posted on 17 September 2013

Your body can benefit from healthy choices in your ’50s. Make informed decisions and enjoy better health for longer – don’t delay having these essential tests. Dr Dale Cilliers, general practitioner at Mediclinic Panorama, explains why regular health checks are crucial to prolonging life and preventing disease.

Cholesterol test
Why have it? Too much cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. Over time this excess is deposited on the walls of arteries, making vessels narrower and limiting blood flow. Controlling your cholesterol level could add years to your life. Have yours checked at least every five years, or more often if your total cholesterol level is high or if you’re at risk for a heart attack.
What to expect? A quick and simple test of your total cholesterol involves the analysis of a blood sample with the use of a portable meter. If the results are abnormal, a more comprehensive fasting lipoprotein-level test may be required. For this you’d need to fast for up to 12 hours before the blood sample is taken.
A healthy reading is a total cholesterol of 5mmol/L or lower; HDL of 1,5mmol/L or higher; LDL lower than 3mmol/L; and triglycerides lower than 1,5mmol/L.

Thyroid test
Why have it? Ageing can impact the function of the thyroid, a gland that is responsible for producing the hormones your body needs for healthy metabolism. Women, especially, should have a thyroid test when they turn 50, and once every five years thereafter.
What to expect? A standard blood test is required to test the thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, which indicate how well your thyroid is functioning. Certain medications may affect the results, so it’s important to tell your doctor about any medicine you’re taking.

Blood-pressure test
Why have it? High blood pressure (hypertension) causes damage to the blood vessels and heart, and is a risk factor for stroke. It’s known as ‘the silent killer’ because it usually presents no symptoms and most people who suffer from it aren’t even aware of it. Have your blood pressure taken every time you see a healthcare professional.
What to expect? This test is simple, fast and painless. Your healthcare professional fastens a cuff around your upper arm and, while listening to your pulse with a stethoscope, pumps it up to increase the pressure until your pulse can no longer be heard. The pressure is then reduced slowly as the cuff deflates. The reading where your pulse first becomes audible is noted as your systolic pressure, and the reading where the sounds of your pulse disappear again is taken down as your diastolic pressure.
A healthy reading is a systolic pressure of 120 mmHg and a diastolic one of 80 mmHg.

Eye exam
Why have it? As you age, diseases that could cause blindness become much more common. Make sure you have your eyes examined and screened for disorders every two years at least, and every year after the age of 60.
What to expect? An optometrist will check how well you are able to see with each eye. Your eyes will also be examined up close to ensure all the parts and inner structures are functioning as they should, and to check for any signs of injury, infection or inflammation, or conditions such as glaucoma (when pressure on the optic nerve leads to peripheral vision loss or even blindness).

Blood-sugar test
Why have it? High blood-sugar levels mean you run the risk of developing diabetes, which, if untreated, could cause heart disease, kidney failure and blindness. It’s advisable to have your blood-sugar levels tested annually, or more often if your readings tend to be abnormal.
What to expect? A blood sample is taken and tested by means of a portable meter. Depending on the results, your doctor may recommend you also have a fasting glucose-tolerance test, which involves following a specific eating plan three to five days before the test, and fasting the night before. On the morning of the test you’ll be asked to drink a glucose solution, after which blood and urine samples will be taken every half-hour for three hours.
A healthy reading is 4-7mmol/L before a meal (without fasting); in the case of a fasting glucose-tolerance test the first and last readings should be close to 4,2mmol/L.

For additional routine tests you should have done, click here.

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The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.