ENGLEWOOD, Colorado (CBS4) – June is Men’s Health Month, which is a good reminder for men to make sure they get the necessary exams and screenings.

Dr. Scott Joy of Englewood Primary Care at the Swedish Medical Center spoke to us on CBSN Denver. He offered some advice to men who may have postponed their doctor’s visits due to the pandemic.

“I think a lot of men wait until they have major symptoms,” says Dr. Joy. “There are a lot of things that you can’t prevent, but there are a lot of things that you can, and you want to take full advantage of them. “

According to the CDC, more men die from heart disease than any other cause of death. Dr Joy says men should avoid things like smoking, which make them more susceptible to heart disease. It also encourages annual blood pressure and cholesterol checks.

“There has been a change in the last couple of years, people thinking cholesterol is everything and we in primary care are now making a calculator. We report not only the cholesterol level, but also the patient’s age, history of hypertension and history of diabetes, ”says Dr. Joy. “If this risk percentage is in a borderline area, we will do a coronary calcium score. It’s a special type of x-ray to see if they have calcium deposits and then figure out if they need medication to lower their risk of heart disease.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death for American men. Dr Joy stresses the importance of colon cancer screenings, which don’t necessarily have to be a colonoscopy.

“We now have kits that we can mail to patients, they can return them at their convenience and it has very good sensitivity to detect around 92% of cancers. If this test is positive, then we do a colonoscopy. But for patients who have a medium or low risk of colon cancer, this is a great first test.

Compared to women, men have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Dr. Joy says the best way to manage your risk of diabetes is to diet and exercise.

“A lot of people think they need to lose 20 or 30 pounds. With the data we’ve seen, even losing 5-10 pounds in any given year can dramatically lower your risk of developing diabetes.

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