By: Thalia Kaylyn Averil
Aging is a common biological process that results in a progressive decline in physical function across all organ systems. In general, aging can increase the risk of various diseases so regular health checks are very important to maintain health and prevent various diseases in the future, even when you feel healthy. It aims to screen, assess risk for health problems, promote a healthy lifestyle, and provide the latest vaccines and other preventive health services. Even if you do not experience any symptoms, routine check-ups can detect conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol levels early, allowing for timely intervention and prevention of complications. In the early stages, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels may not show any symptoms, but these conditions can be detected through blood tests. Therefore, regular health checks, especially blood tests, are very important for individuals over 40 years old.
The following are several blood tests that can be done.
- Blood pressure
Regular blood pressure checks are very important to monitor your heart health. This examination is recommended to be carried out at least once a year. If you experience the following conditions, consult your healthcare professional to check your blood pressure more frequently.
- Overweight
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Kidney illness
- One of your close relatives has high blood pressure
- You have high blood pressure during pregnancy
According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, stage 1 hypertension is characterized by systolic pressure (the number at the top) of >140 mmHg or diastolic pressure (the number at the bottom) >90 mmHg. Meanwhile, stage 2 hypertension is characterized by systolic pressure >140 mmHg or diastolic pressure >100 mmHg. If your blood pressure check shows such results, it is important to schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional to discuss and create a treatment plan.
- Blood sugar
All individuals who do not have risk factors for diabetes are recommended to have their blood sugar checked from the age of 35 years and repeat it every three years. However, individuals with the following diabetes risk factors will need to have more frequent blood sugar checks.
- Overweight
- High blood pressure
- History of heart disease
- Family history of diabetes mellitus
- Planning to get pregnant in the near future
Routine blood sugar tests aim to identify and manage diabetes early, leading to better overall health outcomes. According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, blood sugar levels taken without fasting must be <200 mg/dL, while fasting blood sugar levels taken with a minimum of 8 hours of fasting must be <126 mg/dL. If your blood sugar levels exceed these numbers, you are advised to make an appointment with your healthcare professional.
- Cholesterol
Men are advised to have their cholesterol checked at age 35 if they have no known risk factors for heart disease, while screening should begin at age 45 in similar circumstances for women. However, women with risk factors for heart disease should check their cholesterol regularly starting at age 20. Cholesterol testing should be performed every 5 years for individuals with normal cholesterol levels, but more frequent testing is recommended if there are lifestyle changes such as weight gain or changes in diet. According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, normal cholesterol levels are <200 mg/dL so you should consult a health professional if your cholesterol levels exceed 200 mg/dL. Additionally, individuals with the following conditions should undergo more frequent cholesterol screenings to monitor their cardiovascular health.
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Kidney illness
Apart from blood tests, it is also important to carry out other tests to prevent diseases that commonly occur in individuals over 40 years of age.
- Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer originates from the large intestine or rectum (the final part of the large intestine). In general, colorectal cancer begins as the growth of polyps which can eventually become cancer. Individuals aged 45 years and over have a higher risk of colorectal cancer and should undergo screening. A variety of screens are available for this purpose.
- Colonoscopy, perform every 10 years
- CT colonography, perform every 5 years
- Sigmoidoscopy, perform every 5 years
- Fecal sDNA test, perform every 1-3 years
- Guaiac Fecal Occult Blood Test (gFOBT), perform every year
- Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), perform every year
- Heart disease
The signs and symptoms of heart disease vary depending on the type of disease, and it is also common to have no symptoms initially. Therefore, sometimes heart disease is only discovered when further complications arise. Several factors can increase your risk of developing heart disease, including age, gender, family history, genetics, race/ethnicity, lifestyle, and other medical conditions. Therefore, it is important to screen for heart disease, one of which is cardiac CT. Cardiac CT can be used to check for plaque or calcium buildup that causes narrowing or blockages in the heart arteries, evaluate the condition of the heart valves, and detect problems with the aorta (the largest artery in the body).
- Brain abnormalities
Abnormalities in the brain can interfere with the ability to perform daily activities effectively. Common disorders in the brain are caused by degenerative processes that can affect various body functions such as balance, movement, speech, breathing and heart function, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Stroke can also cause loss of brain cells and affect cognitive function. To prevent this, screening using MRI can be done. MRI is an imaging technique that can produce detailed images of the brain, even more detailed than other imaging methods.
Resources
- Guo J, Huang X, Dou L, Yan M, Shen T, Tang W, et al. Aging and aging-related diseases: From molecular mechanisms to interventions and treatments. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. 2022 Dec 16;7(1). doi:10.1038/s41392-022-01251-0. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-01251-0
- MedlinePlus. Health screenings for men ages 40 to 64 [Internet]. Bethesda; National Library of Medicine; date of publication unknown [cited 2024 May 12]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007465.htm
- MedlinePlus. Health screenings for women ages 40 to 64 [Internet]. Bethesda; National Library of Medicine; date of publication unknown [cited 2024 May 12]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007467.htm
- P2PTM Kemenkes RI. Klasifikasi hipertensi [Internet]. Jakarta: Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia; 2018 May 12 [cited 2024 May 12]. Available from https://p2ptm.kemkes.go.id/infographic-p2ptm/hipertensi-penyakit-jantung-dan-pembuluh-darah/page/28/klasifikasi-hipertensi
- Cleveland Clinic. Cardiac computed tomography (CT) scan [Internet]. Cleveland: Cleveland Clinic; date of publication unknown [reviewed 2022 Feb 28] [cited 2024 Jan 9]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/16834-cardiac-computed-tomography
