Strategies for maintaining your general health: Different ways to help you maintain your overall general health

January 2007     View PDF     View Schedule     En español

General health maintenance strategies:
preventive healthcare guidelines

People living with HIV typically see their doctor many times a year for monitoring and treating HIV. In addition to HIV care, keeping up to date with vaccinations, physical exams and age-appropriate screenings are important for maintaining your overall health. How often your doctor recommends a comprehensive physical exam and/or specific screenings and tests for YOU may differ from the guidelines below based on your health, family history and previous or current medical condition(s). Ask your doctor how often they recommend you have a comprehensive physical exam as well as whether and how often any specific screenings and tests are right for you.

Typically a visit to your doctor will include:

• Height, weight, blood pressure and temperature measurements.
• A brief check-in, discussion and/or counseling about tobacco, alcohol, substance use, diet, exercise and sexual practices.

A more detailed or comprehensive
physical exam is usually recommended:

• Every 5 years between 18–39 years of age
• very 2–3 years between 40–49 years of age, an
• Every 1–2 years for those 50 and older years of age.

The components of a comprehensive
physical exam usually include:

• Height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements
• Blood pressure measurement
• Vision and hearing screening

• Skin survey

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) test may be needed if your blood pressure is elevated, heart-related symptoms are present and/or there is a family history of early heart disease.
• Spirometry test may be needed to measures how your lungs are working, if you have asthma or as a baseline test if you smoke.
• Demonstrating or talking with you about:
• Monthly testicular self-exam (for men)
• Monthly breast self-exam (for women)
• Complete Blood Count (CBC)
• Blood chemistry panel
• Blood sugar
• Lipid panel—total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides
• Urinalysis
• A vaccination record review and update if needed as well as regularly scheduled immunizations, including:
• Yearly influenza vaccination if you are in an identified risk group.
• Pneumococcal pneumonia (A one-time re-vaccination after 5 years is recommended for people with HIV disease.)
• Vaccinations for hepatitis A and hepatitis B
• Tetanus-Diptheria (Td, booster every 10 years)
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings for people who are sexually active. STI screens typically include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, herpes and human papillomavirus.

In addition to comprehensive physical exams, there are also routine general medical care recommendations. Again, it is important to ask your doctor how often specific tests and screenings are right for you.