It is necessary to have a physical examination if you are over 50 years old.

Many people say that the elderly, especially those over 60, are a hurdle. In fact, 50 is already a watershed. This is because diseases such as cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, and cancer all appear significantly earlier after the age of 50. Of course, after the age of 50, the aging of the body will gradually accelerate. Therefore, it is particularly important to insist on annual physical examinations and conduct early diagnosis and treatment once abnormal indicators are found. So what physical examinations are necessary for people over 50? Let's talk about related topics below, hoping to help you.

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1. After the age of 50, which diseases are more likely to occur?

As people age, especially after the age of 50, their physiological functions will gradually decline. This is actually an inevitable trend in physiological development. The efficiency of the immune system will naturally decrease, which will lead to a gradual increase in the risk of many chronic diseases. Many people don’t know which diseases are more likely to occur after the age of 50.

First, we have to talk about cardiovascular diseases, especially hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke. There is a close connection between cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Hypertension may increase the burden on our heart, so to a certain extent, it will increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in people over 50 years old. Therefore, it is particularly important to monitor blood pressure regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The second is the risk of diabetes, especially for type 2 diabetes. After the age of 50, due to insulin resistance and changes in fat distribution, factors such as obesity, lack of exercise or genetic factors may lead to the occurrence of diabetes. Therefore, people over the age of 50 should control their weight, increase physical activity and monitor blood sugar levels.

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Third, for people over 50 years old, the risk of tumors will continue to increase with age, especially for breast cancer and colorectal cancer, etc. The occurrence of these diseases is directly related to hormonal changes, genetic susceptibility, lifestyle, etc. In addition to the above-mentioned diseases, such as osteoporosis, especially in women over 50 years old, due to the decline in estrogen levels after menopause, bone density decreases significantly, which will also increase the risk of fractures to a certain extent. In addition, diseases such as Alzheimer's disease are more common after the age of 50. It can be seen that regular physical examinations and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, so as to detect and intervene early, have a more practical effect on improving our quality of life.

2. Is it necessary to have a physical examination when you are over 50 years old?

1. Routine examination

First, let's talk about some more routine tests. The three major routine tests we are familiar with are blood tests, urine tests, and stool tests. They are called the three major routine tests in clinical practice. For example, blood tests can evaluate the basic status of our blood, such as the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, so as to evaluate possible anemia or infectious diseases. In addition to blood tests, urine tests are also essential to evaluate our kidney function. Therefore, for people over 50 years old, it is particularly important to conduct three major routine tests every year, namely blood tests, stool tests, and urine tests.

2. Biochemical examination

As we age, the physiological functions of the human body will gradually decline, and the incidence of various chronic diseases will continue to rise. Therefore, in addition to the three major routine examinations, biochemical examinations are also particularly important. Many people do not understand biochemical examinations. In fact, biochemical examinations themselves are not limited to the monitoring of blood sugar and blood lipid levels, but also include the evaluation of liver and kidney function. For example, for blood sugar monitoring, this is a key detection method for early screening of diabetes, especially after the age of 50. With the increase of age, insulin resistance and β-cell function gradually decline. Therefore, abnormal blood sugar levels will gradually increase, especially with the changes in people's diet and lifestyle at this stage. Many people like high-oil, high-salt, and high-sugar diets, which leads to an increase in the prevalence of diabetes year by year. Therefore, biochemical examinations of fasting blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin levels can also evaluate possible early diabetes. In addition, blood lipid tests are also particularly important, especially for people over 50 years old. With the increase of age, abnormal changes in lipid metabolism in the body will occur, such as total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Such indicators may all appear to be elevated. Especially with the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at this stage. It keeps rising, so physiological and biochemical tests are performed to evaluate our blood lipids, which is more helpful to detect possible diseases early, and then combine diet and lifestyle adjustments to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events that may be induced by such factors. One thing to note here is that the three thyroid function items and five instructions (TSH, T4, T3; TPOAb, TgAb) in routine biochemical tests are used to evaluate the health of the thyroid gland.

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In addition, liver function and kidney function tests in biochemical tests are the key to evaluating hepatitis and cirrhosis. We all know that the kidneys are responsible for excreting metabolic waste. For example, by testing liver function indicators and kidney function indicators, early signs of liver disease can be effectively identified. Therefore, for people over 50 years old, biochemical tests are an indispensable means of health management.

3. Color Doppler Ultrasound Examination

In addition to the various examinations mentioned above, color ultrasound itself is a non-invasive and affordable examination method. It generates specific images of organs in the body through high-frequency sound waves to evaluate the specific health of our carotid arteries, heart, uterus, gallbladder and other important parts, playing a particularly important essential role. For example, color ultrasound can evaluate the specific structure and function of the heart, and in gynecology, color ultrasound can also observe the specific morphology of our uterus and ovaries. Therefore, various lesions such as tumors, cysts, thyroid, breast, etc. that may exist are discovered. Especially for middle-aged and elderly people, at the age of 50, during the physical examination, color ultrasound is one of the most important examination items, which can detect possible early diseases. And this method can be completed in a short period of time, does not require a complicated preparation process, and is safe and radiation-free. Therefore, as an important tool for monitoring the health of people over 50 years old, it is feasible.

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4. Chest CT and brain CT

Chest CT is a high-resolution imaging technology that can check for possible abnormalities in our lungs, heart, and chest cavity. For example, lung tumors, emphysema, tuberculosis, and so on. If you are over 50 years old and have a history of smoking and a family history of disease, it is especially important to have a chest CT scan. In addition, brain CT is an effective tool for evaluating intracranial structures to determine other lesions such as cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, and brain tumors. Therefore, for people over 50 years old, if conditions permit, chest and brain CT examinations can be performed.

5. Tumor factor screening

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP quantitative), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA quantitative), Epstein-Barr virus antibody, and prostate antigen are all routine physical examination items for tumor factor screening, but the specific screening still needs to be determined based on one's actual situation.

summary

In short, as people age, especially after the age of 50, their physiological functions will gradually decline, and the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and tumors will also increase with age. Therefore, for people over 50, routine examinations, biochemical examinations, color Doppler ultrasound examinations, chest CT and brain CT examinations are the key to improving early identification of diseases and reducing the incidence of diseases. Therefore, people over the age of 50 can have regular physical examinations according to their actual conditions, especially those with a family history of diseases. This type of physical examination cannot be ignored. I hope it will be helpful to you.

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