What medical tests should men have?

The following is a checklist of medical tests for men that should be done yearly, unless otherwise indicated:

At age fifteen, you should get the following:

• Blood pressure measurement (yearly, or more frequently)
• A dental exam yearly and teeth cleaning every six months or as indicated

At age twenty-five, you should also get the following:

• LDL (low-density lipoprotein), also known as bad cholesterol, level (you want it to be less than 100 mg/dl) every five years
• HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, also known as good cholesterol, level (you want it to be higher than 45 mg/dl) every five years
• Fasting triglyceride level (you want it to be less than 100 mg/dl) every five years
• C-reactive protein, an indicator of inflammation in the body, (you want to test "normal") every five years
• A screen for diabetes (if you are overweight)

At age thirty, you should continue the tests above and, in addition, get the following:

• A screen for thyroid disease
• A test for diabetes and every five years thereafter

At age forty, you should continue the tests above and, in addition, get the following:

• A Hemoccult, a test for occult (hidden) blood in the feces
• An eye examination and every three years till age 60, then yearly

At age fifty, you should continue the tests above and, in addition, get the following:

• A rectal examination for screening for rectal cancer and prostate cancer
• A colonoscopy (to rule out colon cancer) and every three to five years thereafter
• A PSA or prostate-specific antigen (a blood test for prostate cancer) and every year thereafter, if you and your doc agree on this course of action and what you will do if you have an abnormal reading

At age sixty, you should continue the tests above and, in addition, get the following:

• A bone density test
• A screen for thyroid disease
• Tests for memory