Keeping You Healthy as the Years Go By at Angel Medical Center

It can challenging to keep up with how to stay healthy as you age. As we get older, the necessary health screenings go from just a few to multiple, and the criteria and recommended ages for initial screenings is sometimes changing. September is Healthy Aging Month, so it’s the ideal time to consider the screenings we all need to age well. Here is a helpful list:

• For women, breast self-exams should be done monthly, starting at age 20.
• Mammograms should be scheduled yearly for women 40 and older.
• Smoking cessation — ongoing assessment, everyone should be asked at every visit about their smoking history, and if they continue to smoke, education should be provided.
• Smokers’ lung cancer detection screening (low-dose CT scan) — starting at age 50.
• For men, testicular cancer screening through self-examination, starting at age 15 and continuing through age 45.
• Prostate cancer screening should be done at 50 years of age and as early as 45, depending on risk factors; this is done through a manual exam by your doctor and a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) lab test.
• Colon cancer screening, starting at age 45 or as directed by your medical provider, depending on individual risk.
• Hemoglobin A1C (Hgb A1C), which measures a person’s blood glucose level to see if they’re at risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes; your medical provider recommends when you should be tested based on your individual risk.
• Cholesterol, lipids, and triglyceride level testing is also recommended by your medical provider based upon your need and risk level.
• Blood pressure testing is a routine screening that can start at any age, and your medical provider typically directs how often your blood pressure should be checked (the normal range for a blood pressure reading is 120 mm Hg/70 mm Hg.
• Pap smear screenings for cervical cancer should start at 20 years of age and occur yearly or as directed by a woman’s medical provider.
• Bone density screening for osteoporosis is usually done for women at 65 years of age or earlier if they are at high risk for fractures. Men should also receive this test as directed by their medical provider.
• Body mass index (BMI) testing is a continual assessment that helps determine whether a patient is at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.
• A visual screening is a continual assessment that is started to identify visual deficits in patients and reassessment is determined by your medical provider.

One of the more life-altering disease processes that receives little media attention but that is given the same level of priority as stroke, heart attack, and trauma in healthcare is sepsis. September is also Sepsis Awareness Month, so I want to share how serious sepsis becomes when it isn’t treated promptly and with a specific assessment and medication regimen.

There are several progressive stages of sepsis, and if they aren’t treated in a timely manner, a patient’s condition escalates to organ failure and death. We use the generic term “infection” as any process that occurs due to an invasion of bacteria, virus, fungus and/or parasite the body is unable to take care of on its own. This is the start of what is called a systemic inflammatory response (SIR). If left untreated, the infection can progress quickly into Mild, Moderate, Severe, Shock, and Organ failure and/or Death.

According to the National Sepsis Alliance, Sepsis is the leading cause of death in the US and in the world. If treated promptly and correctly, 80% of cases are treatable, but 20% end in death. Survivors of severe sepsis events experience lasting deficits and have a decreased life expectancy, which is why we take sepsis so seriously and treat it as an emergency. These are the symptoms of sepsis to remember: temperature, infection, mental decline/confusion, and extremely sick/ill.

If you have an infection and it is not improving always seek proper treatment from a medical provider or come to the emergency room. Catching the infection before it progresses is the key to health and wellness.

Finally, another school year has begun, and I want to give a shout-out to our community’s teachers — thank you for all you do! Everyone can play a role in keeping students healthy by observing good handwashing hygiene and keeping hands away from the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Clint Kendall, FACHE, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN, is Chief Executive Officer/Chief Nursing Officer of Angel Medical Center. He started his career as a nurse, and that perspective still informs his work and passion for the patient experience. Clint holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Nursing, and Health Care Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Carolina University. Clint has also earned the Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) certification, and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), and the American Nurses Association (ANA).