5 medical tests that could save your life (and 5 to skip)
To protect yourself, Dr. Orly Avitzur says it's important to ask your doctor about the medical evidence behind each test he/she recommends. Keep clicking as Dr. Avitzur, medical advisor at Consumer Reports, reveals five tests that you should consider getting - and five you should avoid at all costs.
Full-body CT scan
And then there's the risk of radiation. "The average radiation dose from medical imaging has increased more than six-fold over the last 30 years, with CT scans being the largest contributor," says Dr. David J. Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University. "We've found that full body CT scans expose patients to far more radiation than conventional plain film X-rays and consequently a higher lifetime risk of cancer deaths, about one in 1,250 for a 45-year-old adult and one in 1,700 for a 65-year-old adult," he said.
Screening tests for heart disease
The American College of Preventive Medicine does not recommend routine screening of adults using ECG, stress testing, or the blood test for C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation.
To find whether you should have a particular cardiovascular screening test, depending on your risk category, age and gender, check out this tool.
Sleep apnea testing
Problem is, fewer than 15 percent of apnea sufferers know they have the disorder. If you fail to mention your symptoms to your doctors, they may not ask about it during your routine exams. An overnight sleep study called a polysomnogram can determine if you have it, and allow you to start treatment.
Automated nerve testing
Virtual colonoscopy
But virtual colonoscopy, a.k.a. CT colonography, requires the same preparation as conventional colonoscopy - taking laxatives to clean out the colon. And if virtual colonoscopy does turn up a polyp, odds are you'll need to follow up with a conventional colonoscopy, says Dr. Mark B. Pochapin, director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health. And then there's the matter of radiation exposure. Unlike conventional colonoscopy, CT colonography exposes the body to cancer-causing X-rays.
Blood pressure check
The American Heart Association recommends checking it at least once every two years - but Dr. Avitzur says it might be better to do so annually, especially if high blood pressure runs in your family.
Mammogram
Given the conflicting guidelines, it's hard to know what to do. If you're a healthy woman in your 40's, ask your doctor about whether mammography is right for you.
Screening for stroke
The test can generate both false-positive and false-negative results - which can lead to needless additional testing or risky surgery. Addressing other risk factors for stroke - like high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and smoking - is a better way to reduce your chances of having a stroke, Dr. Avitzur says.
Cholesterol testing
If you're a man over the age of 35, or a woman who's 45 or older who smokes, has high blood pressure or diabetes, or has other risk factors for coronary artery disease, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force strongly recommends cholesterol screening.
Pap smear
Cervical cancer rates have fallen in recent decades, but cervical cancer remains the 10th-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Sadly, about 60 percent of women with invasive cervical cancer have not undergone a Pap test in the five years prior to their diagnosis.