Check 1: Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is commonly due to no particular reason at all, where it is called primary hypertension.
Risks: Increases your risk of developing stroke, heart attack and heart failure.
Test: The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening to begin after age 18 by assessment of blood pressure levels, especially if you are a smoker and/or have a family history of hypertension.
Check 2: Diabetes
According to recent reports by the International Diabetes Federation, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has risen from 30 million to 246 million worldwide over the past two decades, a staggering figure. Many people are not aware they are suffering from diabetes, as it shows very few symptoms in the early stages.
Risks: Increases the risk of cardiovascular complications such as strokes, heart failure and heart attacks, damages kidneys, eyes, can cause skin infections and creates joint and foot problems.
Test: Your doctor may screen you using a series of tests including the random blood sugar, fasting blood sugar (FBS) and glucose tolerance tests to reach a diagnosis.
Check 3: Glaucoma
Glaucoma or increased intraocular (eye) pressure has been nicknamed ‘the sneak thief of sight'. It strikes without notice and remains without symptoms for a long time and is often discovered as an incidental finding on medical examination. Risk factors such as family history of the same, black racial ancestry, near-sightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), use of steroids and diabetes should urge you to have your eye pressure checked early.
Risks: An acute glaucoma attack may present with severe eye pain, eye redness, vision changes (halos around light sources and/or blurred vision), headache, nausea and vomiting. It is a potential cause of permanent blindness.
Test: Tonometry is the most commonly employed test where the inner eye pressure is measured. Your ophthalmologist may however, use other tests as well. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends testing to be done every two to three years for adults (18-60 years) and every year after 60. If you have a family history of glaucoma or other risk factors, testing should be done every one to two years before 35. Remember, if diagnosed early glaucoma can be managed well enough to prevent vision loss.
Check 4: Elevated Cholesterol
Hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol) are typically due to a combination of environmental (obesity and dietary choices) and genetic factors (familial high-cholesterol disorders). There are several fragments that comprise the lipid profile, like the LDL (low- density lipoprotein or ‘bad' cholesterol), HDL (high-density lipoprotein or ‘good' cholesterol) and triglycerides (a bad fat fragment) to name a few. The broad term ‘cholesterol' is used to describe elevated levels of LDL and triglycerides.
Risks: Increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis (plaque formation in the arteries) leading to a narrowing of complete occlusion of involved arteries, which may cause myocardial infarction (heart attack) or stroke. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that around 20 per cent of all strokes and 50 per cent of all heart attacks are directly attributable to high levels of cholesterol.
Test: Total cholesterol test is commonly available at most health centres. USPSTF recommends screening to begin from the age of 35 and older in men, and from the age of 20 in people with risk of coronary heart disease. (It should be noted that different national medical organisations recommend different starting ages.)
Check 5: Obesity
This is a chronic condition described in very simple terms as excessive body weight resulting from eating too much and exercising too little.
Risks: Increases your risk of developing high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (seen in individuals aged 40 and above), coronary heart disease and gall bladder disease.
Test: A simple test that you can use, called BMI (Body mass Index)
BMI = mass in kg/height in m2
Values
18.5 to 24.9 – normal
equal to 25 – overweight
30 –obese
40 – morbidly obese
An abnormally high BMI is best addressed immediately through an efficient and intense weight-loss programme especially if you fall in the obese or morbidly obese bracket. However, remember BMI does not apply to body builders on protein supplements as body mass in these cases is not a natural reflection.
Check 6: Colon Cancer
Symptoms include bowel habit changes (new onset constipation or diarrhoea), fresh blood in stools, weight loss, pallor, fatigue, vomiting, abdominal pain and distension. Risk factors include age (more than 50 years), a poor diet (rich in red meats and low in fibre), presence of polyps (abnormal tissue growth in the intestine), ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease) and family history of colon cancer.
Risks: ‘Late stage cancer' spreads across the body resulting in early death.
Test: Tests include the stool test for occult blood (traces) and colonoscopy that internally visualises the large bowel. It is recommended that screening tests begin from the age of 50 and are repeated at regular intervals. If there is a family history of colon cancer, screening should begin 10 years before the age at which the family member was diagnosed. Early detection is good for overall survival.
Check 7: Prostate Cancer
The prostrate is a gland present in the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer is mostly asymptomatic but symptoms could include pain, difficulty in urination and sexual dysfunction. Common risk factors include being older than 50, black racial ancestry and fatty diet.
Risks: Can spread to the bone and lymph nodes, complicating the course if not detected early.
Test: Screening remains controversial with some doctors in favour of it and others not, due to lack of evidence supporting screening benefits. Tests include Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) where the prostate is felt with a lubricated, gloved finger through the rectum and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test (a protein produced by the prostate that is elevated in prostate cancer). The American Cancer Society recommends screening for all men above the age of 50, and above 40 in men with a strong family history of prostate cancer.
Most hospitals can run these tests. In Dubai, call City Hospital (04-435-9999), in Sharjah call Al Zahra Hospital, 06-561-9999, in Abu Dhabi call Al Noor Hospital, 02-626 52 65
Dr. Zafar Ghori is a freelance writer for 4men magazine