Overview:
A physician has created a guide to help men prioritize their health and prevent illnesses, focusing on screenings and prevention efforts. The guide emphasizes the importance of preventive care, especially in older men, who are at higher risk for falls, frailty, cognitive decline, and vision or hearing loss. It provides recommendations for screenings such as blood pressure, diabetes, lipid screening, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer, and offers advice on maintaining a healthy weight, muscle mass, and nutrition.
As an internal medicine physician, I’ve had the privilege of caring for men at every stage of life, from young guys just starting out, to fathers juggling family and work, to older men navigating new chapters in retirement. However, across all those ages, one thing remains constant: preventive care saves lives, but too many men fail to take advantage of it.
Sometimes, it’s because life gets in the way. Sometimes, it’s because no one explained what’s important to check for and when. And other times, it’s because men weren’t taught to prioritize their health. That’s why I created this guide.
This isn’t about scaring you into tests or overwhelming you with medical jargon. It’s about breaking down what you need to know by age in a practical, straightforward way grounded in the best available evidence. You’ll find trusted guidelines, honest explanations, checklists, and concise recommendations to help you take charge of your health, all in one place.
Whether you’re reading this for yourself, a partner, or someone you care about, I hope it helps you feel more confident navigating your health journey. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s awareness, action, and longevity.
Let’s get started.
As men enter their 70s and beyond, health priorities shift toward preserving independence, mobility, mental sharpness, and social engagement. Many age-related conditions, like falls, frailty, cognitive decline, and vision or hearing loss, become more common. Screening and prevention efforts should be based on your overall health and the number of years that you are expected to live. Maintaining a close relationship with your doctor is key.
Recommended Screenings
- Blood Pressure: Continue monitoring at least annually, especially if on blood pressure medication.
- BMI, Nutrition, and Muscle Loss: Track weight, BMI, and muscle mass to prevent loss of muscle tissue and becoming weak. Unintentional weight loss is a red flag for underlying issues. Talk to your doctor if you notice changes in your weight.
- Diabetes and Lipid Screening: Continue if at risk or previously diagnosed. Ask your doctor about your current doses of medication to determine if they can be decreased, particularly if intensive control of diabetes is causing harm, such as causing episodes of low blood sugar and feeling faint, which increases the risk for falls.
- Colorectal Cancer Screening: Stop routine screening around age 75 or when life expectancy is <10 years unless prior polyps or high risk.
- Prostate Cancer Screening: Routine PSA screening is not recommended after age 70 per USPSTF due to limited benefit — but some guidelines allow shared decision-making in healthy older men. According to the American Urological Association and other expert groups, continued screening may be considered in the following men: Excellent functional status and life expectancy ≥10 years. For example, active 70 – 75-year-olds with no major health problems
This is an excerpt taken with permission from the book “The Men’s Preventive Health Guide: What To Check, When To Check It, and Why It Matters.”
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