H E A LT H
FIVE IMPORTANT TESTS FOR HEALTHY AGEING W orldwide people are
screenings important. Untreated
factors, and follow-up scans should
living longer. Today,
high blood pressure damages
be performed every year or
125 million people
your bones, brain, eyes, kidneys
every second year.
are aged 80 years or older. Health
and heart, increasing your risk for
check-ups should be done
osteoporosis, strokes, vision loss,
regularly, especially after the age
kidney failure and heart disease.
of 35. Common conditions in older
Have your blood pressure checked
age include hearing loss, cataracts
once a year.
and refractive errors, back and
3
4
EYE SCREENING As you age, eye diseases such
as macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma become more common. Screening can preserve
OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING
and maximise vision. You should
As people age, bone mass is
screened for disorders every two
and dementia. Furthermore, as
lost faster than it’s created. It is
years at least, and every year after
people age, they are more likely to
estimated that half of all women
the age of 60.
experience several conditions at
over age 50 will break a bone
the same time. Regular tests help
because of osteoporosis, and so
you make informed decisions to
will one in four men. Risk factors
enjoy better health for longer.
can include long-term steroid use,
neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression
1
low body weight, smoking, heavy
have your eyes examined and
5
BLOOD SUGAR TEST As we age, we become more
insulin resistant, often resulting in high blood sugar. High
CHOLESTEROL TEST
alcohol use, a fracture after age 50,
blood-sugar levels mean you
Monitoring and maintaining
or a family history of osteoporosis.
run the risk of developing
healthy levels of cholesterol are
Once you reach 65,
diabetes. Untreated
important in staying healthy. In
you should have
diabetes can destroy your
fact, controlling your cholesterol
a bone mineral
health, causing heart
can add years to your life. High
density exam
disease, kidney failure and
levels of cholesterol can build
regardless of risk
blindness. You should have
up in the arteries and increase
your blood-sugar levels
the risk of heart attack or stroke.
tested annually, or more
Cholesterol levels should be
often if readings tend to
checked at least once every four
be abnormal. •
to six years (or more frequently if you’re at risk for a heart attack). High cholesterol levels can be treated by diet and medications.
2
BLOOD PRESSURE TEST Known as the silent killer,
hypertension (high blood pressure) is rarely accompanied by symptoms, making regular
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SILVER DIGEST // SUMMER 2019
“
This article first appeared in Pharmacy Magazine, September 2019
By 2020, the number of people aged 60 and older will outnumber children younger than five years
”
