3 Health Screenings that Could Save Your Life
1. Blood Pressure
What is it?
- Blood pressure is the amount of force against the artery walls as your heart pumps blood. In other words, it’s a measurement of how hard your heart must work to push blood throughout your body.
Why is it important?
- Untreated high blood pressure, or hypertension, can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and other serious health issues.
- High blood pressure usually doesn’t have warning signs or symptoms, and many people don’t know they have it.
How is it measured?
- Blood pressure is measured by placing a cuff around your upper arm. Air is pushed into the cuff either by a machine or manual pump until it’s very tight on your arm, then the air is slowly released while the machine or a medical assistant listens with a stethoscope.
- Blood pressure readings are recorded as two numbers with a slash in between (ie. 120/80) and expressed as the top number over the bottom number (ie. 120 over 80).
2. Cholesterol
What is it?
- Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance carried through your bloodstream by two types of packages called lipoproteins. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) help rid your body of excess cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) deposit excess cholesterol in your blood vessels.
- Diet, exercise, genetics, and even stress can affect cholesterol levels.
Why is it important?
- Not enough HDL, too much LDL, or a combination of both can cause blocked arteries leading to heart attack, stroke, or other serious problems.
- There’s no way to know your cholesterol levels simply by how you feel.
How is it measured?
- Cholesterol is measured through a blood test called a lipid profile.
- Lipid profile results are usually provided as milligrams per deciliter or mg/dL for total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.
3. Cancer
What is it?
- Cancer is a group of diseases where abnormal cells grow out of control and crowd out normal cells.
- Gene changes that lead to cancer can have many possible causes. Lifestyle habits, genetics, and being exposed to certain chemicals or radiation can all play a role. Many times, there is no clear cause.
Why is it important?
- According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 38.9% or 1 in 3 people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetimes.
- Most cancers are treatable if they are detected early.
What is the screening procedure?
Screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and skin cancers are commonly recommended by healthcare providers.
- Breast cancer screening is usually conducted at an imaging center and uses a low-dose X-ray called a mammogram to identify abnormalities in the breast tissue.
- Cervical cancer screening called a pap smear can be performed during a routine medical exam and consists of taking a sample of cells from the cervix. The samples are then sent to a lab for inspection under a microscope.
- Common types of colorectal cancer screening options are:
- fecal immunochemical test (FIT) – a stool sample is collected at home and sent to a lab where it is checked for the presence of blood. stool DNA test – a stool sample is collected at home and sent to a lab where it is checked for the presence of blood AND altered DNA.
- colonoscopy – a procedure performed in a surgical center or hospital where a doctor uses a long, thin, lighted tube that checks the rectum and entire colon for cancer-causing polyps.
- Lung cancer can be detected in early stages with a low dose X-ray of the lungs called a CT scan.
- Skin cancer screening involves inspecting your entire body for visual abnormalities including irregular shaped freckles or moles. It’s especially important to check hard to see places like the scalp, groin, and in between fingers and toes.
Who should get screened?
Many factors impact who should be screened for various health conditions, at what age, and how often. It’s important to discuss your individual risk factors with your primary care provider and determine the plan that’s best for you. Browse our team of care providers or schedule an appointment to get started today.