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Health Maintenance Recommendations for Women
Age 21-35
*Blood
pressure check each year to screen for signs of hypertension.
*Pap
smear and pelvic exam every 3 to 5 years to screen for cervical and other
gynecologic
cancers
or pre-cancerous conditions.
*Cholesterol
studies to help evaluate your risk for coronary artery disease.
*Tetanus-Diphtheria
(Td) booster every 10 years for prevention of tetanus (lockjaw) and diphtheria
with added pertussis booster (Tdap) once during adulthood to prevent pertussis
(whooping cough).
*Advice
will be offered when appropriate on diet, exercise, smoking, and drug or alcohol
abuse to help improve your quality of life and to reduce your risk of future
illness.
Vaccination with
Gardasil at a gynecology office should be considered for women up to age 26 for
prevention of HPV (human papilloma virus), the virus responsible for nearly all
cases of cervical cancer and a major risk factor for oral and anorectal cancers.
Please note that this is an expensive vaccine (about $200 per shot
with 3 shots required) and is not always covered by insurance.
Age 36-64
*All
of the above plus:
*Breast
exam by a doctor each year for detection of breast tumors.
*Mammography
every 1 to 2 years starting at age 50
for early detection of breast tumors.
*Stool
testing for blood each year for early detection of colorectal tumors.
*Colonoscopy beginning at age 50 then every 5-10
years (depending on risk factors) for early detection of colorectal tumors.
ColoGuard DNA stool analysis to screen for colon cancer and advanced
pre-cancerous polyps is recommended every 3 years for average risk patients from
age 50 to 85. ColoGuard is now fully covered by Medicare.
Information about this test is available at ColoGuardTest.com.
*Electrocardiogram to screen for signs of heart
disease and to serve as a reference baseline.
*Complete blood count, blood chemistry panel,
lipid analysis, and tests of glucose metabolism for detection of hematologic, liver, kidney,
and metabolic disease; repeat labs
depending on individual details.
*Influenza vaccination each year for prevention of
flu and its complications.
For our patients 60 and over, vaccination with Zostavax can be considered
for reducing the chance and severity of shingles (Herpes zoster).
Please note that this is a very expensive vaccine (over $200), is not
always covered by insurance, and is only partially protective against shingles.
Please also note that a new more effective shingles vaccine is expected soon
from Glaxo Smith Kline. Patients may want to wait until the new zoster
vaccine is available to decide which one offers the greatest value in terms of
protection against shingles.
Age 65 and Above
*All of the above plus:
*Pneumovax PPSV23 and Prevnar
PCV13 to prevent pneumonia, sinusitis, and meningitis from pneumococcal
infections.
Patients 65 or over
with repeatedly normal Pap smears and any patient with a history of hysterectomy
generally do not require ongoing Pap smears and pelvic exams.
These
guidelines represent an overview of our general recommendations for health
maintenance and disease prevention.
Your special needs for various evaluations will depend upon your personal
history, family history, risk factors, and physical findings.
We will tailor a screening protocol to fit your individual health needs.
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