Health Issues for Men Over Sixty

When a man reaches 60, he should already be screened for a number of different health issues. But as he becomes a senior citizen, being diligent on health issues can be the difference between an active elderly lifestyle and either an early death or spending the golden years in poor physical shape.

By age 60, men should have regular screenings for the following diseases: prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, skin cancer, heart diseases, and glaucoma. Some of these screenings should begin before a man turns 60. Tests for high cholesterol, a frequent sign of heart disease, should already have commenced by a man’s early twenties, and by age 60, these screenings should be routine.

High Blood Pressure

Men should be regularly tested for high blood pressure. As a man ages, if his blood pressure is not kept in check, high blood pressure can lead to hypertension. High blood pressure is the result of narrow arteries, which means it becomes more difficult for blood to pump through the body and this harder work is a strain on the heart. Unchecked high blood pressure can result in heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and kidney disease.

Colorectal and Prostate Cancers

Colon cancer is a health risk for all men over the age of 50, but the risks are increased if another member of the family has been diagnosed with colon cancer or if there is a history of inflammatory bowel disease. The average man without risk factors will need to have the screenings done periodically, according to the doctor’s wishes.

Prostate screening needs to be done on a more regular basis, however. Nearly fifty percent of all men over the age of 50 will experience an enlarged prostate. Most of the time it will be benign, but any prostate conditions need to be checked and treated. Early detection of prostate cancer can be corrected.

Erectile Dysfunction

Better known as impotence, it is the inability for men to get or keep an erection for sexual intercourse. Although ED can happen to men of any age, it becomes more common as men get older. Nearly a quarter of all men over age 60 experience it. In older men, ED is usually caused by another disease, an injury, or medications that need to be taken. It can be treated successfully, however.