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Health Checklist for Women Over 40
Print out this list to keep track of tests and procedures you need after the age of 40 and take it
with you to your next doctor's appointment
Breast Cancer Screening
Procedure/test: What it does:
Starting How often:
at age:
Mammogram
40
Checks for
breast cancer
Doctor's breast May detect
20
exam
breast cancers
missed by
mammography
Date performed/results:
Annually
Annually; Every
three years for
women 20-40
Cervical cancer screening (one of the following):
Procedure/test: What it
does:
Starting
at age:
How often:
Pap smear and Checks for
pelvic exam
cervical
cancer
Once a
woman
is
sexually
active
or at
age 18
Annually, then every
2-3 years after three
normal annual Pap
smears in a row
Pap smear
plus HPV DNA
test and pelvic
exam
Alternative, 30
some
experts
recommend
as more
precise
means to
check for
cervical
cancer
Date performed/results:
Every three years
Colorectal cancer screening:
Procedure/test: What it
does:
Colonoscopy
Starting How often:
at age:
Outpatient
50
procedure in
which a
doctor
inserts a
long, flexible
instrument about 1/2
Every 10 years, more
often for those with a
family history or
history of colon
polyps.
Date performed/results:
inch in
diameter into the
rectum to
view the
rectum and
entire colon.
Many
experts say
colonoscopy
is the most
accurate
colon
cancer
screening
Fecal occult
blood test
(FOBT)
Stool is
tested for
blood -- a
possible
sign of
colorectal
cancer
Flexible
Outpatient
sigmoidoscopy procedure
for
examining
the lower
portion of
the large
intestine,
called the
sigmoid
colon. A
special
instrument
with a tiny
camera
attached is
used.
Air-contrast
barium enema
50
Annually (in
combination with
flexible
sigmoidoscopy)
50
Every 5 years (in
combination with
FOBT)
Barium is
50
given as an
enema, and
then air is
blown in to
make the
barium
spread over
the lining of
the colon,
producing
an outline of
the colon on
X-ray. This
Every 5 years
helps to
reveal any
irregularities
in the lining,
such as a
polyp.
*Your doctor will pick which screening test is best for you.
Skin cancer screening:
Procedure/test: What it does:
Starting
at age:
How often:
Total body skin Doctor
exam
examines
your skin to
detect
precancerous
and
cancerous
skin growths
50, or
Annually
earlier for
people
with a
family or
personal
history of
skin
cancer or
with
excessive
sun
exposure
Date performed/results:
Heart disease screening:
Procedure/test: What it
does:
Starting How often:
at age:
Blood
Measures
20
cholesterol test amount of
total
cholesterol,
"bad" LDL,
and "good"
HDL
cholesterol
circulating in
the blood.
Levels of
triglycerides,
another
blood fat,
are also
usually
checked.
Every 5 years, or at
your doctor's
discretion
Blood pressure Measures
18
check
blood
pressure, an
indicator of
At least every other
year, more often if
above normal
Date performed/results:
heart risk
Fasting plasma Measures
45
glucose
blood sugar,
an indicator
of diabetes
risk
Every three years, or
at your doctor's
discretion
Eye disease screening:
Procedure/test: What it
does:
Starting at age:
Glaucoma test
60 for normal,
Annually
healthy adults;
40 for those with
risk factors for
glaucoma (family
history,
nearsightedness,
diabetes, or
AfricanAmerican)
Measures
eye
pressure
and eye
health
How often:
Date performed/results:
Bone health:
Procedure/test: What it
does:
Starting at
age:
Bone mineral
density test
65 or around At your doctor's
age of
discretion
menopause;
earlier for
women with
previous
fragility
fractures,
family history
of
osteoporosis,
on
medications
that cause
bone loss, or
have
problems
with calcium
absorption.
Used as an
indicator of
bone
strength and
osteoporosis
risk
How often:
Date performed/results:
Thyroid health:
Procedure/test:
What it does:
Starting
at age:
How often:
Date performed/results:
Thyroid
hormone test
Blood test that 35
determines
whether
thyroid gland
is functioning
properly
Every 5 years
Vaccines/immunizations:
Procedure/test: What it
does:
Starting at
age:
How often:
Tetanus
booster
Restores
protection
against
tetanus
infection
Varies
Every 10 years
Pneumonia
vaccine
Provides
lifelong
protection
against
pneumonia
65 or
Once in a lifetime
earlier in
people
with risk
factors,
such as
heart
failure,
lung
disease,
alcoholism,
and others
Influenza
vaccine
Provides
protection
against
common
influenza
strains
50 or
earlier
Annually
Date performed/results: