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As women age, the chances of developing certain health issues begin to increase. Your biological makeup plays a role in how predisposed you are to certain illnesses. We have compiled a list of the most prevalent health concerns impacting women who are over 65 and what can be done to manage those risks. 

1. Heart Disease 

More women die of heart disease than any other condition. Heart disease is a general term used to describe different consequences of blocked arteries that include Coronary Artery Disease, Heart attacks, Arrhythmias, and heart failure. Symptoms of a heart problem include chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath, weakness or lightheadedness, fluttering heartbeat, fainting, and pain in the neck and jaw area. Sometimes these symptoms get confused with heartburn or overexertion and are dismissed entirely. 

High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart disease and can also cause hypertension which can result in a heart attack or stroke. Keeping your cholesterol down and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is pivotal in preventing heart-related diseases. That includes exercising and maintaining a healthy weight, a healthy diet and reducing smoking and drinking. 

2. Stroke

There are three types of stroke: hemorrhagic, or bleeding in the brain, ischemic, or the blockage of a blood vessel that causes impaired blood flow, and transient ischemic. Strokes have a very specific set of symptoms that show on the surface. These symptoms can be remembered by the acronym BE FAST. This stands for Balance, Eyes, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Slurred speech, Time to call 9-1-1. 

3. Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the biggest health concerns among seniors. It is a condition that affects the body’s ability to process sugar and convert it to energy. If your body can’t process sugar, it causes high blood glucose levels, which can lead to a variety of health concerns like obesity, cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and nerve damage. Although it is not exclusive to women, it does increase the risk for heart disease by four times in women. Women are also more susceptible to diabetes-related complications such as blindness and kidney disease. 

There are two types of diabetes: 

Type 1 

This is where your pancreas cannot produce insulin on its own, therefore the body attacks the insulin-producing islets rendering them useless. Type 1 is the lesser common of the two. 

Type 2

This is the more common form of diabetes as 90% of diabetics have type 2. This develops over time where your blood sugar levels rise too high that your body can’t produce the necessary amount of insulin to regulate itself. 

Warning signs for both forms of diabetes are increased urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision, and fatigue. To lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, try to maintain a healthy diet and weight, exercise frequently, and quit smoking. 

4. Depression

Depression is twice as likely to affect women as men. Elderly women can go through a lot of trauma in their later life that can lead to depression such as losing a partner or loved one, developing a chronic illness, decrease in social networks, or other stressful life events. There are three types of depression: Major depression, Persistent depressive disorder, and Minor depression. 

Depression can be treated by a therapist or psychiatrist, who can prescribe medication or help get to the root of the problem. 

5. Arthritis

Arthritis is a term used to describe a disease that inflames joints, primarily in your knees, elbows, fingers, and ankles. There are dozens of types of arthritis but the most common types in women are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Gout. One of the best ways to deal with arthritis is to stay active to prevent loss of range of motion. Treatment starts with pain management to allow you to stay active and once joint pain is tolerable, an increase in exercise such as lifting weights can help build up muscles around the joints. 

6. Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women and is also the leading cause of cancer deaths for women. Monthly self-examinations can help you identify any changes to your breasts. Early detection can save your life which is why it is recommended that the average risk women start getting annual breast cancer screenings when they turn 40.

You can manage risks by making healthy lifestyle choices, such as exercising and quitting smoking. For those who carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, your chances of getting breast cancer are higher and your physician can make recommendations about how to monitor you more closely.

7. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes your bones to weaken, making them susceptible to fractures or breaks. Some risk factors can include certain medications, early menopause, a low body mass index (BMI), cancer treatment, and genetics. You can offset these risks by increasing your calcium intake, staying active with appropriate weight-bearing exercises, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol use. Some warning signs of osteoporosis are: 

• Brittle bones
• Loss in height
• Slouchy posture
• Family history

You may not notice you’re suffering from osteoporosis until the disease has fully onset. It’s recommended that you request a bone density test from your doctor every year starting around age 50 to keep track of your bone density levels.

8. Dementia

Dementia is a broad term that describes any form of memory loss from disease or trauma. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. This disease happens when plaques form in the brain, destroying healthy brain cells. Alzheimer’s is a progressive illness that gets worse over time. Some warning signs include loss of short-term memory, difficulty retaining information, and general confusion. While the exact cause of dementia is unknown, experts say a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk. 

Townsen Memorial Hospital Is Here For You

At Townsen Memorial, safe, effective, and affordable care is our top priority. Therefore, we strive to provide the best patient experience across all Townsen Memorial affiliated sites. The high-quality care starts at our Emergency Room and carries on through our Imaging Centers, Surgery Centers, and up through our Townsen Memorial Hospital. Our medical sites are located in Houston, TX, and the surrounding areas, to provide the best care to patients in and around Harris County. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-877-494-9487.

Early detection can help save lives, particularly when it comes to breast cancer. During a breast cancer screening, your doctor checks your breasts for signs of cancer, such as lumps or changes in the tissue. The most common imaging tests done to check for breast cancer are mammograms and ultrasound of the breast. Women should get annual screenings to ensure nothing has changed or developed that may be a cancer risk. If your doctor finds something unusual that will require another look, e.g., a hard lump, they may send you to get medical imaging done to check whether it is cancerous or benign.

Mammography

A mammogram is a picture of the breasts taken using x-ray imaging. It is one of the most commonly used screening tools to detect breast cancer. In some cases, mammograms allow doctors to detect breast cancer up to three years before a tumor is palpable. A woman with an average risk of breast cancer can benefit from getting mammograms starting at age 40. However, a woman with a higher risk, i.e., has a family history of breast cancer, may want to start screening earlier. It is very important to know your family history so that you can take the best course of action. For instance, if your mother had breast cancer at age 45, your doctor may ask that you start your mammogram screenings ten years prior to her age of diagnosis, which is at 35. 

During a mammogram, your breast rests on a plate while a second plate gets lowered on top of the breast pushing it flat to hold it still while the x-ray machine takes the image. The radiology technician performing the test will capture images from the front and the side, taking four pictures total, two of each breast. Depending on your level of sensitivity, while the procedure may be a little uncomfortable, it should not be painful and should be done pretty quickly.

A disadvantage of a mammogram is that some women can have dense breast tissue, which makes it hard to find tumors because they both appear white on the images. In that case, an ultrasound is usually ordered alongside the mammogram. 

There are many factors that affect whether mammography is able to detect breast cancer:

• The age and weight of the patient.
• The size and type of tumor.
• Where the tumor has formed in the breast.
• How sensitive the breast tissue is to hormones.
• How dense the breast tissue is.
• The timing of the mammography within the woman’s menstrual cycle.
• The quality of the mammogram picture.
• The skill of the radiologist in reading the mammogram.

Breast Ultrasound

A breast ultrasound, or sonogram, uses sound waves to create a picture of the inside of the body. It does not use radiation so it is generally safe for those who need to avoid x-rays, such as pregnant women. A breast ultrasound can be helpful to your radiologist if they had trouble seeing your mammogram images due to dense breast tissue.

During an ultrasound, your technician will hold a wand, known as a transducer, over the breasts throughout the imaging test. The transducer sends sound waves that bounce off the breast tissue, traveling back to the transducer and creating an image.

Is One Better Than The Other?

Your doctor is very likely to order both tests as there are several notable differences between the two: 

1. The imaging modality 
2. The quality of the images produced
3. The reasons for the imaging

A breast ultrasound alone is not currently a recommended screening tool for breast cancer, because it can miss many early signs of a tumor. However, some patients might be better candidates for an ultrasound as opposed to a mammogram. Pregnant women, for instance, should usually avoid having x-rays performed unless the imaging is essential. A breast ultrasound might also be a better option for younger women, particularly those in their 20s.

Whether an ultrasound or mammogram is the right option for you depends on your needs and your doctor’s recommendations.

Townsen Memorial Hospital’s Imaging Center in Humble is now open! From Ultrasounds to Mammograms, we offer a wide variety of services operated by skilled medical professionals to provide patients with the best in imaging and patient care. We not only have technological advancements, but we also have a medical team that is always going to put you first. 

Townsen Memorial Hospital Is Here For You

At Townsen Memorial, safe, effective, and affordable care is our top priority. Therefore, we strive to provide the best patient experience across all Townsen Memorial affiliated sites. The high-quality care starts at our Emergency Room and carries on through our Imaging Centers, Surgery Centers, and up through our Townsen Memorial Hospital. Our medical sites are located in Houston, TX, and the surrounding areas, to provide the best care to patients in and around Harris County. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-877-494-9487.

When it comes to your health, taking a proactive approach by taking preventative measures can give you the best quality of life. Preventative screenings can detect issues early on which gives you the best chance at treatment. Far too many Americans are dying from preventable diseases that can almost always be treated if found early. With the medical advancements today, we all have the ability to achieve more successful outcomes than ever before. 

Lung CT

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US. The survival rate for lung cancer is 12% and has not changed in 40 years. However, if detected at stage I, the survival rate is 70-80%. Lung CT screening provides more detailed information than conventional X-rays making it possible to diagnose and manage lung cancer earlier and more effectively. Detection of cancers when they are much smaller are far more easily treated or cured. This test takes less than 15 minutes and requires no preparation.

Who should have this exam?

• History of smoking
• Family history of lung cancer
• Occupational exposure (Shipyard, military, asbestos, coal miners)
• Unexplained cough or fever
• As a substitute for annual chest x-ray after age 35
• History of unexplained, recurrent pneumonias
• History of multiple x-rays as a child, including multiple scoliosis surveys
• Previous history of any cancer

Virtual Colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the US and almost always begins with an abnormal growth, or polyp. If polyps are detected and removed before they become malignant, this deadly cancer may be escaped. Although the effectiveness of traditional colonoscopy for preventing and detecting colorectal cancer is unquestioned, many avoid them because of its invasiveness. Virtual colonoscopy is done with a CT scan and is non-invasive, quick, requires no sedation, allows patients to return to work, and is less expensive. It is also more comfortable and much faster than the traditional colonoscopy. The risks and the recovery from virtual colonoscopy are also much lower. Studies have shown this procedure was found to be just as effective, if not more effective than the traditional colonoscopy.

This test takes approximately 30 minutes and requires a preparation 48 hours prior to the exam. CO2 is placed in the colon through a small tube during the procedure so that it will evaporate and not expel.

Who should have this exam?

• Family history of colon cancer
• Family or patient history of polyps
• Those who prefer to not have a regular colonoscopy
• Men or women over age 45 with prior normal colonoscopy
• Change in bowel habits
• Blood in stool
• Unexplained weight loss or change in appetite
• Wellness screening every 5 years after age 40
• Previous history of any cancer
• History of multiple x-rays as a child, including multiple sclerosis

Breast Mammogram And Breast MRI

The survival rate of breast cancer directly correlates with the size of the cancer. The smaller the tumor, the greater the chance of survival. Finding cancer earlier can ultimately mean the difference between life and death. If you are an average risk patient, it is important to start getting annual mammograms at age 40. If you have a family history, it is recommended to start annual screenings 10 years before your first-degree relative had breast cancer.

Breast MRI is a highly sensitive tool for creating dynamic, three-dimensional images of breast tissue. It is a valuable tool in the assessment of dense breasts when used as an adjunct to traditional breast imaging modalities. A physician’s prescription is necessary for this test.

Who should have this exam?

• Inconclusive mammogram
• Breast or chest pain with inconclusive mammogram or ultrasound
• Evaluation of breast implants for possible rupture or to exclude cancer
• High risk breast patients under the age of 45
• Any patient with small dense breasts

Full Body MRI

This exam is used to evaluate the soft tissues of the body. Since tumors and inflammation produce an increased amount of water and swelling, an MRI searches for areas of abnormal water accumulation and swelling throughout the entire body. Specialized brain sequences can be used to detect early dementia, like Alzheimer’s disease. Special sequences can also be added to evaluate high-risk areas including the bile duct, liver, pancreas, uterus, ovaries, prostate gland, and testicles. MRIs involve no radiation and are good for detecting soft tissue cancers at an early stage. A physician’s prescription is necessary for this test.

This exam takes approximately 1 hour, depending on the required views. It requires administration of one Bentyl tablet the night before the exam and one on the day of the exam. The patient must also fast 6 hours prior to the exam.

Who should have this exam?

• History of neurological problems, such as atypical headache or family history of aneurysm
• Family history of stroke
• Any risk factor favoring early detection of cancer of the brain, bladder, liver, pancreas, prostate, gallbladder, bile ducts, liver, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, or neck
• Joint or extremity problems or unexplained pain
• Wellness evaluation, especially in patients under 50
• Unexplained weight loss, malaise, fatigue
• Previous history of cancer

Cardiac Score

This exam is a CT scan of the chest that measures calcium in the coronary arteries. The score that is generated helps to determine the patient’s cardiovascular risk when combined with the traditional cardiac risk factors. Coronary calcium scoring is highly predictive of obstructive coronary artery disease. This test takes less than 15 minutes and requires no preparation.

Who should have this exam? Those 40 years old or over with increased risk for heart disease from:

• Family history of heart disease, particularly with family members with the onset of heart disease before the age of 50
• Smoking
• Elevated total or LDL cholesterol, decreased HDL cholesterol
• Elevated C-reactive protein
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High stress job
• Unexplained chest discomfort
• Previous history of heart disease
• Premature menopause
• Abnormal lipoprotein A
• Sedentary lifestyle

Schedule Your Preventative Screenings Today. 

Townsen Memorial Hospital Is Here For You

At Townsen Memorial, safe, effective, and affordable care is our top priority. Therefore, we strive to provide the best patient experience across all Townsen Memorial affiliated sites. The high-quality care starts at our Emergency Room and carries on through our Imaging Centers, Surgery Centers, and up through our Townsen Memorial Hospital. Our medical sites are located in Houston, TX, and the surrounding areas, to provide the best care to patients in and around Harris County. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-877-494-9487.

Resources

1. MIF, You’re Covered! The 4 Preventative Scans Worth Scheduling, accessed 12/20/2021 https://mifimaging.com/2018/10/24/youre-covered-the-4-preventative-scans-worth-scheduling/

2. ProScan, Preventative Screenings, accessed 12/20/2021 https://proscan.com/services-our-specialties/preventative-screenings/