Here are the screening tests and immunizations that most men ages 40 to 49 need. A screening test is done to find possible disorders or diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so lifestyle changes can be made and you can be watched more closely to reduce the risk of disease, or to detect it early enough to treat it most effectively. Screening tests are not considered diagnostic, but are used to determine if more testing is needed. Although you and your healthcare provider may decide that a different schedule is best for you, this plan can guide your discussion.
Screening
Who needs it
How often
Alcohol misuse
All adults
At routine exams
Blood pressure
All adults
Yearly checkup if your blood pressure is normal*
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg*
If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider
Depression
All men in this age group
At routine exams
Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
All men beginning at age 45 and men without symptoms at any age who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more additional risk factors for diabetes
At least every 3 years (annually if blood sugar is already rising)
Type 2 diabetes
All men with prediabetes
Every year
Hepatitis C
Anyone at increased risk
At routine exams
HIV
All men
At routine exams
High cholesterol and triglycerides
All men ages 35 and older, and younger men at high risk for coronary artery disease
At least every 5 years
Obesity
All adults
At routine exams
Prostate cancer
Starting at age 45, talk to healthcare provider about risks and benefits of digital rectal exam (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening***
At routine exams
Colorectal cancer
Men of average risk ages 45 and older
Several tests are available and used at different times.
Possible tests include:
-
Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
-
Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years (or every 10 years with yearly FIT stool test), or
-
CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years, or
-
Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
-
Yearly fecal occult blood test, or
-
Yearly fecal immunochemical test (FIT), or
-
Stool DNA test, every 1 to 3 years
You will need a follow-up colonoscopy if you choose any test other than a colonoscopy and you have an abnormal result. Talk with your doctor about which tests are best for you.
Some people should be screened using a different schedule because of their personalor family health history. Talk with your provider about your health history.
Syphilis
Anyone at increased risk for infection
At routine exams
Tuberculosis
Anyone at increased risk for infection
Check with your healthcare provider
Vision
All adults1
Every 2 to 4 years if no risk factors for eye disease
Counseling
Who needs it
How often
Dietand exercise,
Adultswho are overweight or obese
When diagnosedand at routine exams
Aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular problems
Men ages 45 to 79, when potential benefits from a decrease in heart attacks outweigh the harm or risks from an increase in gastrointestinal hemorrhage
When diagnosed with risk for cardiovascular/heart disease; check with your healthcare provider before starting
Sexually transmitted infection prevention
Anyone at increased risk for infection
At routine exams
Tobacco use and tobacco-related disease
All adults
Every exam
Immunization
Who needs it
How often
Tetanus/diphtheria/
pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
All adults
Td: every 10 years
Tdap: substitute a 1-time dose of Tdap for a Td booster after age 18, then boost with Td every 10 years
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
All adultsin this age groupwho have norecordof previous infection or vaccines**
1 or 2 doses
Chickenpox (varicella)
All adultsin this age groupwho have no record of previous infection or vaccines**
2 doses; the second dose should be given at least 4 weeks after the first dose
Flu (seasonal)
All adults
Yearly, when the vaccine becomes available in the community
Hepatitis A
People at risk 2
2 doses given at least 6 months apart
Hepatitis B
People at risk 3
3 doses; the second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose, and the third dose should be given at least 2 months after the second dose (or at least 4 months after the first dose)
Haemophilus influenzaType B (HIB)
People at risk
1 to 3 doses
Meningococcal
People at risk**
1 or more doses
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
People at risk 4
PCV13: 1 dose ages 19 to 65 (protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
PPSV23: 1 to2 doses through age 64, or 1 dose at 65 or older (protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
*Recommendation from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines
Screening guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
