Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 142) men VISITING THE PREVENTION DOCTOR Don’t ignore any health problems. One more note: Whether you smoke or not, you should discuss options for colon and prostate cancer screening with your family doctor once you reach age 50. 3. Accidents. Auto accidents are the leading cause of accidental death in men. To reduce your risk of being involved in a fatal accident, use your seat belt, keep your speed down, don’t drive while sleepy, and don’t drive if you’ve been drinking or taking drugs. 4. Stroke. Most strokes are caused by a blockage in an artery that carries blood to the brain. Doctors have found that if you get Beating the ‘Top 5’ Men, take control of your health and reduce your risk of the Top 5 causes of death. By Kelly L. Gilmore treatment right away after stroke symptoms start, there’s a better chance of getting blood moving to your brain, and less chance of damage. The most common symptoms of a stroke include: ● Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body ● Loss of speech, trouble talking or understanding what others are saying ● Unexplained dizziness, unstable walking or falling, especially along with any of the other symptoms You may be at greater risk for a stroke if you have uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, atherosclerosis, or are a smoker. Your family doctor can help you reduce these risks. Lifestyle changes, such as exercising, eating a low-fat diet and not smoking, can also help. 5. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is a chronic lung disease that includes 2 main illnesses: Chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The disease develops over many years and is almost always caused by cigarette smoking. The best way to prevent or keep COPD from getting worse is to quit smoking. The most common signs of COPD are chronic coughing and shortness of breath. If you are a smoker who coughs and is usually short of breath, you might have COPD. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Your doctor can diagnose COPD and can help you manage the disease. This Top 5 list may seem frightening, but remember: By teaming up with your family doctor, you can learn to recognize and control your risk factors for these diseases and live a long and healthy life. Kelly L. Gilmore is an associate editor with the American Academy of Family Physicians, headquartered in Leawood, Kan. causes of death for men are preventable in some way. By paying attention to what your body is telling you and scheduling regular checkups with your family doctor, you can help control many of the factors that may put you at risk. 1. Heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men. The biggest factors that contribute to heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history and age. Take a moment to look at your lifestyle, family history and your general health. With this information, you and your family doctor can assess your risk and make a plan to avoid potential problems. Although you can’t do much about your family history or your age, you can make lifestyle changes to avoid many of the other risk factors: ● Don’t smoke. ● Control your blood pressure and cholesterol. ● Maintain a healthy weight. ● Exercise regularly. ● Eat a low-fat diet. ● Be aware of chest pain. H ow many times have you thought to yourself, “If I ignore it, it will go away”? The startling reality is that too many men ignore their health. But here’s the good news: The Top 5 2. Cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death for men, and lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer. Lung cancer can be prevented, in large part, by not smoking or using tobacco products. If you smoke, ask your family doctor to help you develop a plan for quitting. Your doctor can also recommend a stop-smoking program or help you decide if nicotine replacement or medication might help you. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION American Academy of Family Physicians http://familydoctor.org/x5022.xml http://familydoctor.org/x5387.xml http://familydoctor.org/706.xml Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/men/ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthymen.htm 142 familydoctor 2007 http://familydoctor.org/x5022.xml http://familydoctor.org/x5387.xml http://familydoctor.org/706.xml http://www.cdc.gov/men/ http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthymen.htm
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