Important medical tests for youngsters
When you stepped in teenage, a number of physical and biological changes occur in the body which may expose you to some health-related problems. Factors like stressful lifestyle, unhealthy eating, lack of physical activities, smoking, and alcohol intake can hugely impact your health. A doctor can perform or recommend some simple tests to look for problems that can rob your health in young age.
These simple medical tests assist doctor to detect significant changes in the body which may later become a reason for disease. Early diagnosis also helps to treat the problem on time.
Below is the list of important medical test for youngsters.
BLOOD PRESSURE TEST
A blood pressure reading higher than the 120/80puts stress on the heart and may increase the risk for heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. To control high blood pressure doctor may ask you to adopt healthy lifestyles and in extreme cases may prescribe medication.
CHOLESTEROL TEST
Cholesterol is a type of fatty protein in blood that accumulates in the arteries. There are two types of cholesterol i.e. High-density lipoproteins (good cholesterol which protects against heart disease) and low-density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol which increases the risk of heart diseases ). Imbalance in the cholesterol levels can be easily managed with few lifestyle changes like regular exercise, healthy eating, etc. A doctor may prescribe anti-cholesterol medications if the cholesterol levels are too high and cannot be managed with lifestyle modifications.
DIABETES TEST
Diabetes is defined as high glucose levels in the blood. Your doctor can recommend you to have fasting plasma glucose test (detecting blood glucose levels without eating)and post-prandial blood glucose test (detecting blood glucose levels after eating) to detect diabetes.
BREAST CANCER EXAMINATION
If you have a blood relative like your mother or your sister with breast cancer, you should go for a mammogram, breast ultrasound, or MRI scan which can detect any cancer tissue in the breast. Early detection of breast cancer and thus early treatment can protect you from the life-threatening consequences of the disease.
PAP SMEAR TEST
Dr. Vivek Belde, Apollo Family Physician, AS Rao Nagar, Hyderabad highlights the recent observations by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) which suggest that all young women above 21 years should have a pap smear test every two years to rule out any possibility of cervical cancer.