While the leading causes of death kill both men and women, men die at higher rates than women for all of them. Men go to the doctor less than women and are more likely to have a serious condition when they do go because they don’t prioritize preventative screenings or checkups. The biggest problem that men have is not a specific disease, but a lack of healthcare monitoring.
Health Risks For Men
Preventative care is crucial in identifying potential problems before they advance to more serious conditions. Many conditions that afflict older men are related, such as obesity leading to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease or stroke. Here are 5 health risks men over 50 should keep an eye out for:
1) High Blood Pressure
While high blood pressure can cause more complications for men over 50, screenings should begin much sooner. It’s easily detectable with a simple series of blood pressure tests.
2) Obesity
Weight has a tendency of creeping up as men age due to inactivity, nutritional habits, basal metabolism, and nutritional need reduction. Ask your doctor to calculate your body mass index (BMI) to gauge whether you need to lose weight.
3) Stroke
Your risk of a stroke increases with age, particularly if you smoke, have high blood pressure, or are overweight. The key to avoiding a stroke is to identify and treat the underlying causes.
4) Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, but twice as many men die from cardiovascular conditions. Men who eat a diet high in saturated fat, abuse alcohol, suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure are particularly vulnerable.
5) Cancer
As men age, they become more at risk for several types of cancers, including lung, prostate and colorectal. Prostate cancer is most common cancer found in men, though it is not as lethal as lung cancer, especially if it’s caught early.
Screenings
All men should get screened for colorectal cancer by age 50. Those with a family history of colorectal cancer should get a colonoscopy even sooner. After 50 you should also receive the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test, which is an important tool for helping to diagnose prostate cancer. The sooner your doctor is aware of potential health problems, the better the outcome!
Healthy Habits
Think of these risks as dominos. Obesity often leads to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease or stroke. While your genes play a role in your health risks, your lifestyle plays a bigger role. Healthy habits, like a low-fat diet, exercise and regular doctor’s visits can extend your life dramatically.
Contact Us to learn more about seeing a doctor, or receiveing preventative screenings.
