“Bloodwork is a means of detection of illness early on,” explains Dr. Shilpa Amin, a family practitioner and geriatrician based in Ashburn, Virginia.
Many chronic conditions, such as diabetes, develop over time. You may not have symptoms right away, so waiting until you start feeling unwell can mean more complications down the road.
“Sometimes people don’t even present [to their doctor] until they already have complications,” Varma added. Bloodwork can help with early detection and monitoring so that you can be proactive about prevention and treatment.
Some types of bloodwork that may be done when turning 50 include:
- blood glucose testing
- hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) testing
- a lipid panel
- a complete blood count
- thyroid function test
- a basic or comprehensive metabolic panel
- hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening
- sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening
Bloodwork is performed on an ongoing basis to monitor for early warning signs of illness. Most tests are done annually or every other year. If your results are abnormal, or if your doctor has reason to be concerned about your risk for disease, they may be repeated every 3 to 6 months.
The timing of follow-up testing depends on many factors, including:
- the results from your first round of bloodwork
- family history
- certain lifestyle considerations or changes
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