5 indispensable tests at age 50

Heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and mental health problems are the leading causes of death in people over 40. Here are five essential tests.

Coronary calcium scan

CT scan to check coronary artery calcium

According to doctors, men over 45 years old and those with a family history of heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease should have a CT scan to check for coronary calcium score, plaque, cholesterol, scar tissue in the arteries around the heart. Coronary calcium score is one of the best signs to predict future heart disease.
Coronary calcium score is an important warning sign of coronary artery disease, the leading cause of heart attacks. It indicates whether you are likely to have a stroke or heart attack within 10 years.

Experts recommend that men over 40 years old and women over 50 years old need to have coronary angiography to detect bad signs of the heart before they become serious.
Drinkability Test

According to the New Zealand Health and Medical Research Council, if you drink more than twice the standard amount (285ml of beer, 100ml of wine or 30ml of spirits) on normal days and more than four times on special occasions, your risk of heart disease and other damage is very high.

According to research by Professor Peter Miller, a researcher at Deakin University, people often drink at home before going out, and they are twice as likely to get sick than those who do not drink at home.

Check the head

Depression and anxiety are big problems, says Dr. Brian Graetz, BeyoundBlue’s director of research for children and adolescents; he recommends that people complete the K10, a 10-question test that asks about how they feel: anxious, depressed, hopeless, tired… for four weeks. Those who frequently experience these feelings are at higher risk.

Check blood pressure

Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg

High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke or heart failure and this is a very dangerous disease because it has no symptoms to recognize. The only way to check your blood pressure is to have regular health check-ups. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80mmHg, high blood pressure is above 140/90mmHg.

Check cholesterol

According to the New Zealand Heart Foundation, people over 40 should have their cholesterol checked every five years, and every two years for those with a family history of heart disease.

A blood test measures the levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and "good" cholesterol (HDL); as a general rule, total cholesterol is less than 4 with HDL less than 1, LDL less than 2, and Triglycerides (neutral fat) less than 2. If blood cholesterol levels are too high, it can cause fatty deposits to build up in the arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes.

According to Knowledge - NT