Health screenings can detect cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Women may have Pap smears and mammograms, while men may have prostate exams. Blood pressure screenings and cholesterol tests are also common. Blood tests can detect diabetes.
There are many types of health screenings. Among the most commonly performed health tests are those that check for signs of cancer, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Health screening tests can be helpful in determining whether or not a person has diabetes.
Depending on their age and other factors, women may see their doctors about health screening tests that detect cancers common in women. For example, many women have annual Pap smears to help detect abnormal cells in the cervix, which is the neck of a woman’s uterus. Abnormal cervical cells can be an early sign of developing cervical cancer. Women can also have mammograms, which look for changes in the breast that could indicate breast cancer.
Men can see their doctors for prostate exams. Prostate exams are usually recommended as an annual health screening for men over the age of 50. During this examination, a doctor feels the presence of lumps on the prostate gland that could indicate the development of cancer.
People of both genders see their doctors for blood pressure screenings. For this screening, medical professionals use a device called a blood pressure cuff to determine if the patient has a high blood pressure reading. While anyone can have an occasional high blood pressure reading, blood pressure that stays high is typically the result of a condition called hypertension. If a person has hypertension or high blood pressure, the blood in his body moves too hard against the walls of his arteries. Left untreated, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and even kidney failure.
Sometimes health screenings require medical professionals to draw and test a patient’s blood. For example, a doctor may draw a person’s blood to check for cholesterol, which is a waxy, fatty substance. The body naturally produces cholesterol and it is found in many types of foods. Having some cholesterol is normal and even healthy for the body. Having too much can put a person at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Blood test health screenings are also used to detect diabetes. After a person eats, a hormone called insulin helps glucose, also called blood sugar, get into the body’s cells, where it is used for energy. If a person has diabetes, they may not have enough insulin to handle glucose properly, or they may not have the hormone at all. Some people with diabetes have enough insulin, but their bodies don’t respond appropriately. To determine if a person has diabetes, a doctor usually fasts the patient before drawing blood and testing their blood glucose levels.
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