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Medical screening tests you should get starting at age 50.

We are living longer and healthier. One reason is that new medical screening tests can often catch diseases and potentially serious health conditions in their early, treatable stages. Experts at WebMD which medical screening tests you should get starting at age 50.

Blood Pressure Check
Why do it? Blood pressure often rises with age. Left untreated, high blood pressure is an equal opportunity killer—it kills your heart, your brain, your eyes and your kidneys. Don't let hypertension sneak up on you. Get the test. It's simple, it's cheap, and it's quick.
How often? Most doctors check blood pressure as part of a routine office visit. Get your blood pressure checked by your doctor at least once a year.

Cholesterol Screening
Why do it? High cholesterol levels are a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The good news, though, is that high cholesterol levels can be treated by diet and medications. That's why it's important to measure your cholesterol levels regularly.
How often? At least once every five years and more frequently if you're at higher risk.

Blood Sugar Test
Why do it? Untreated diabetes can destroy your health, leading to heart disease, kidney failure and blindness. Diabetes is a potentially life-threatening condition, but it doesn't have to be. If you catch it early, it's easier to manage.
How often? Get a fasting blood sugar test at least once every three years.

Skin Check
Why do it? Although most high-risk sun exposure occurs before age 18, skin cancers can take 20 years or more to develop. Do a skin self-exam to check for any unusual spots or moles. Any changes could be a sign of skin cancer.
How often? Check your skin monthly, and ask your doctor to examine your skin for a baseline exam and then subsequent exams depending on your risk.

Vision Test
Why do it? Vision-robbing diseases, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma, become more common as you age. Screening can preserve and maximize your vision.
How often? Get your eyes examined every one to two years. Go more often if you have vision problems or if you have medical problems that can also affect your eyes, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Step on the Scale
Why do it? Most people start gaining weight in their 50s. Watch any weight gain carefully, and fight back with healthier eating and exercise. Being overweight puts you at risk for developing a number of diseases, and studies show that maintaining a healthy weight can improve your odds.
How often? Weight can fluctuate from one day to the next, so you don't need to weigh yourself every day. If you want to monitor your weight, consider weighing yourself no more than once a week…unless your doctor recommends doing it more often.

Rectal Exam
Why do it? Dread it, hate it, joke with your friends about it. Just make sure you get one. The rectal exam and a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) will tell if there are any masses or subtle bleeding that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This test, along with others like a colonoscopy, may give clues to treatable problems in your colon—think colon cancer—or prostate for men.
How often? Every year.

Colonoscopy
Why do it? A colonoscopy, a test in which the doctor uses a lighted scope to view the inside of the entire colon, is one screening option for colon cancer.
How often? A colonoscopy should be done every 10 years beginning at age 50. You may need to have a colonoscopy earlier and more frequently if you're at higher risk. Talk to your doctor to see what's best for you.

Dental Exam
Why do it? Your teeth and gums reveal a lot about your overall health. For instance, cavities and gum disease have been linked to diabetes and heart disease.
How often? Visit your dentist regularly—the Academy of General Dentistry recommends seeing a dentist for a cleaning and an oral exam twice a year. You should also brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily.

Recommended for Women: Thyroid Hormone Test
Why do it? The thyroid, that innocuous looking gland in your neck, produces hormones needed for metabolism. Risk factors for hypothyroidism include being over age 50, being a woman, obesity and previous thyroid surgery.
How often? At age 50 and then every five years.

Recommended for Women: Breast Exam and Mammogram
Why do it? Breast cancer risk increases with age. That means it's especially important to get a mammogram regularly and a doctor's breast exam.
How often? Beginning at age 40, screening mammograms are recommended. They may start earlier or be more frequent if you have increased risk.

Recommended for Men: PSA and Prostate Exam
Why do it? Short for prostate specific antigen, the PSA blood test, when combined with a rectal exam, is a test for detecting prostate cancer.
How often? Annually, beginning at age 50. Talk to you doctor about the benefits and risks of testing. Men at high risk should start testing earlier.

Additional Test for the 60-and-Over Crowd

• Hearing Test
  At least 30 percent of people 60 or older have some hearing loss, most of which is treatable. Get a hearing test at least once every three years.
• Bone Density Test
  Osteoporosis is no joke. If you have it and you suffer a fracture, especially of the hip, you've significantly increased your risk of permanent disability or death. Get serious and ask your doctor to refer you for a bone density test. Women should have a bone density test at age 65. If a woman is at a higher risk, a screening test should be done at age 60. Some researchers also recommend bone density tests for men age 65 and older, too.

Tips for Healthy Aging
Taking care of your health extends beyond visiting your doctor's office and should be part of your daily life. Some key ways to increase your odds of maintaining a healthy lifestyle include:

• Exercising regularly and watching your diet
• Not smoking, drinking alcohol excessively or using drugs
• Wearing seatbelts with lap and shoulder straps
• Storing firearms safely
• Using smoke detectors
• Using a helmet on bicycles and motorcycles
• Practicing safe sex by using condoms
• Driving safely—not under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Setting hot water heaters at 120 to 130 degrees
• Learning CPR
• Avoiding falls and injuries
• Getting help for depression and anxiety

SOURCES: WebMD Medical Reference: "Milestone Medical Tests in your 50s." WebMD Medical Reference: "Milestone Medical Tests in your 60s and Up." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)—Exams and Tests." WebMD Medical Reference: "Skin Cancer Warning Signs: Take the Skin Cancer Self-Exam." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Healthy Weight—Facts About Weight Loss Diets and Programs." WebMD Feature: "Checklist: Vaccines for Adults." WebMD Feature: "Adult Immunizations: Are You Protected?" WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Colorectal Cancer—Exams and Tests." WebMD the Magazine Feature: "Oral Health: The Mouth-Body Connection." American Academy of General Dentistry web site: "Senior Oral Health Care." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Thyroid Hormone Tests." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Pap Test." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Mammogram." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Prostate Cancer—Exams and Tests." WebMD Medical News: "Osteoporosis Testing Good for Men, Too."