Recommended Health Screenings for Adults

Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

• The American College of Cardiology recommends blood pressure measurement at every clinical encounter for adults of all ages 1
• Annual lipid profile screening is indicated for men aged 40-49 years to assess cardiovascular risk 1
• Men aged 40-49 years require annual blood pressure measurement and lipid profile screening to assess cardiovascular risk 1

Cancer Screening

• Colorectal cancer screening should have already begun at age 45 with one of the following options: annual fecal immunochemical test (FIT), colonoscopy every 10 years, or CT colonography every 5 years 1, 2
• The American Cancer Society recommends against PSA testing at age 48 for average-risk men, as the harms of PSA-based screening and overtreatment outweigh potential benefits 3, 4
• Exception: African American men or those with strong family history should have screening discussion at age 45 2

Laboratory Testing

• Complete blood count (CBC) and comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) are not routinely indicated at this age without specific clinical indications 1, 4

Critical Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not order PSA testing at age 48, as it provides no benefit for average-risk men and leads to unnecessary anxiety, biopsies, and overtreatment of indolent disease 3, 4
• Do not perform routine comprehensive metabolic panels or CBCs without clinical indication, as this leads to false positives and unnecessary follow-up 4
• Do not skip colorectal cancer screening, as this should have already begun at age 45 and is critical for mortality reduction 1, 2