Blog

Medical checkups for women over 40s

As a woman, it is generally advised that they have to take extra care of their body and pay special attention to their health and have a keen watch on any changes that may occur to their body. Particularly for women over 40, it is very important that they maintain optimal health and try and detect early stages of any issues erupting.
So it is necessary for every women especially post 40 to examine their health through some extremely important test to maintain their healthy life and also to address any illness before it becomes a problem.

• Breast Cancer Screening: A mammogram is a standard test, however, consulting your doctor and taking the advice that is best for you is a good step. Early detection of breast cancer has a greater chance of survival.
  So it is necessary for all the women over 40 to take the breast cancer screening tests at regular intervals to avoid any illness.
• Tests for breasts screening: 

1. Mammogram: This is a procedure that is carried out in order to check the breasts for cancer. This test is recommended for all women after 40 at regular intervals may be once every year, but if there are any cases of breast cancer in the family history then these tests should be conducted more frequently, it is better to contact your doctor for better advice.
2. Clinical Breast Exam: This should be one of your important tests in your general annual health check-up plan, and you need not wait until you are 40 to do this test regularly, any abnormal appearance of a lump in your breast should be immediately brought to the notice of your doctor. Even young women can experience relative threats.
   

• Other important health screening:
•   Blood sugar: Probably you might have had a not very healthy lifestyle in your past feasting on aerated drinks, fast food and other high calories diet which may have overworked your pancreas. It is very necessary for you to have your blood tested for sugar as it can lead to diabetes.

Following tests are used by doctors:

• Fasting plasma glucose test: This test is used to check if the blood sugar level is less than 110 mg/dL after 8 hours of fasting if your sugar level is high then you have diabetes.
• Oral glucose tolerance test: This test is also done after 8 hours of fasting but you are given a sugary drink to test the tolerance and the blood sugar level must be lower than 150 mg/dL.
  
• Random Check: These checks are done to check the sugar level at any time of day & it should be lower than 150 mg/dL.
• The Blood Pressure: Blood pressure test should be taken once in every 5 years for all the adults over 40, if they had not encountered any problem before 40, but if they have any history then they must check their BP at regular intervals. High blood pressure (Hypertension) can cause:
  

1.  Heart failure
2. Aneurysm
3. Dementia
4. Kidney scarring
5. Similarly, Low blood pressure is also not good. It can cause giddiness and weakness.

A sphygmomanometer is a device used to check blood pressure 120/ 80 -140 / 90 are the normal ranges of BP.

• Pap smear & Pelvic Exams: These tests are NOT the same thing, as Pap smear is the screening test for the cancer of cervix & for changes of cells that cause cancer. While in the Pelvic Exam a doctor examines the ‘Vulva’, “Cervix”, and the vagina. These tests are a necessary part of a well women visit.
  
• Cholesterol Profile: 16.3% of the population has High Cholesterol problem so it is necessary to test regularly otherwise it can cause following problems.

1.  Coronary Heart Disease
2. Strokes
3. Type 2 Diabetes

Total allowable blood cholesterol level must be less than 150 mg/dL.

• HPV Test: A Human Papillomavirus Test is done to check for high-risk infection in women which is likely to cause abnormal cell growth and can cause genital warts. Pap Tests are used to determine this virus through the cells collected from your cervix.

We at shrikhande hospital are dedicated towards women’s health for the past 30 years and understand the health issues of the women at every stage of their life. To do this in the most efficient way we accurately diagnose the patients with the help of the latest techniques and advance technology. So if you are looking for the most accurate diagnosis and appropriate advice speak to one of our experienced doctors who will be able to guide you.

Schedule a health check-up today.

Tags: blood pressure, Breast Cancer, Vagina care, Vagina Health, Women Health, Womens Health care