Essential 2021 Health Screenings,

We’ve canceled celebrations, postponed trips and forfeited time with family. (Thanks, pandemic.) What shouldn’t be delayed? Routine health screenings. Here’s what you need to know.

Concerns about COVID-19 have prompted 4 in 10 adults to delay or cancel routine health visits, the CDC reports. While there may be an end in sight for the pandemic, common afflictions - heart attacks, IBS, strokes, cancers and diabetes - are here to stay, says Kenneth Koncilja, M.D., a geriatrician at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Many of these increase with age, which is why it’s important to stick to your screenings, he says. “Sometimes you can schedule a telemedicine meeting with your health care provider, then go straight to the lab or imaging center for the appropriate test,” Koncilja says.

Read on for screening recommendations. Depending on your personal health profile and risk factors, you may need additional screenings or be asked to screen earlier than the recommended age.

BLOOD PRESSURE

All adults 50 and older should be checked at least every two years, and more often if you have a history of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular events or your blood pressure reads above 120/80 mm Hg.

CHOLESTEROL

A simple blood test can measure for HDL (“good”) and LDL (“bad”) levels, which should be checked every four to six years, more often if you have heart disease or diabetes.

STOMACH, COLON, RECTAL ISSUES

Colorectal screenings can detect and remove precancerous growths before they become a problem. Screenings are recommended every five to 10 years from age 45 to 75. Options include stool-based tests, colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. A barium swallow or endoscopy is not a routine screening but may be prescribed if you have severe heartburn, esophageal pain or stomach or upper small intestine problems.

DIABETES

High blood glucose levels can increase the likelihood of developing insulin resistance, prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Anyone over 50 with high blood pressure or who is overweight should be screened. Test again every three years if results are normal.

LUNG CANCER

Screening, done through low-dose CT scan, is recommended for people 55 and older who have a history of heavy smoking and currently smoke or have quit within 15 years.

SKIN CANCER

Early detection of melanoma and other skin cancers can save lives and make treatment easier. Have an annual head-to-toe exam by a dermatologist to check out suspicious moles or spots.

BREAST CANCER

For women 50–74, an annual mammogram is the most reliable way to find cancers early when they’re typically the most treatable. Testing every two years is recommended for women 75 and older. If you are at special risk for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about your mammogram schedule. Sometimes a breast ultrasound or MRI may be recommended.

CERVICAL CANCER AND HPV

Screening is recommended with either a Pap test every three years or an HPV test every five years up to age 65. Going forward, women between 65 and 70 with three normal tests within the past 10 years can stop having Pap tests. The tests collect cells from the cervix to check for abnormalities (Pap) or the presence of certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), which can increase cervical cancer risk.

PROSTATE CANCER

For men, a prostate exam and PSA test can help find cancers early, before they cause symptoms or spread. Starting at age 50, ask your health care provider about your personal risk factors and the pros and cons of screening with the PSA, a simple blood test.

BONE DENSITY

A noninvasive DEXA scan of the spine and hip should be performed starting at age 60 for at-risk women, and at 65 and older for all women.

ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM (AAA)

Early diagnosis can detect potentially lethal blood clots. Have a one-time screening with ultrasound if you're 65 to 75 and have ever smoked. This test is not routinely performed for women, as the risk is much higher for men.