Mother's Day kicked off the eighth annual National Women's Health Week, which was started to bring attention and create an understanding of women's health issues. To help educate women on how they can be more proactive regarding their personal health, U.S. Preventive Medicine(R) (http://www.uspreventivemedicine.com/), a company working to organize and advance a culture of prevention throughout America, today announced its list of the five most critical health conditions affecting women and the actions they must take in order to prevent a serious illness.

"It is crucial for women to take full control of their health and be proactive about it," said Dr. Boyd Lyles, Chief Medical Officer, U.S. Preventive Medicine. "By taking preventive action at the recommended time, women can stay ahead of the curve and become more knowledgeable about health concerns, creating a greater opportunity to identify a potentially serious condition before it becomes life threatening."

Here is U.S. Preventive Medicine's list of five key conditions all women must screen against:

  --  Breast Cancer
      --  Self Examination: Women in their 20's should conduct self breast
          examinations on a regular basis. As a woman becomes familiar with
          how her breasts normally look and feel she can more easily notice
          changes. Women should report any changes to their health
          professional right away.
      --  Mammogram: Women age 40 and older should have mammograms, and
          discuss with their physician how often they should have one. While
          mammograms can miss some cancers, they are still a very good way
          to detect breast cancer.
  --  Cervical Cancer
      --  Pap Test: One of the best and proven steps women can take to
          prevent cervical cancer is to have a Pap Test. If cancer does
          occur, the Pap test can find it early when it is easier to treat.
          Women should speak to their physician to discuss how frequently to
          have this exam.
      --  HPV: Changes in the cervix are often caused by a virus called HPV,
          (Human Papilloma Virus). HPV infections can lead to cervical
          cancer. Again women who have their Pap tests can catch HPV in its
          early stages.
  --  Heart Disease
      --  Blood Pressure: A blood pressure screening measures the pressure
          against the walls of your blood vessels. Women should have their
          blood pressure checked every two years until age 65; after that,
          they should be checked yearly.
      --  Cholesterol Testing:  High blood cholesterol is a major risk
          factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. It is recommended
          that Women age 20 and older have a fasting "lipoprotein profile"
          every five years to test for good cholesterol, bad cholesterol and
          blood fats.
      --  Treadmill Stress Test: This test looks for critical levels of
          coronary artery blockage. The patient's heart rate and blood
          pressure are recorded at rest. The patient runs on the treadmill
          until they achieve a target heart rate. The test shows the doctor
          alarming changes or serious irregular heart beats.
  --  Diabetes
      --  Blood Sugar Testing: This test measures the amount of glucose, a
          type of sugar, in your blood. This is usually the first test done
          to diagnose diabetes.
  --  Colon Cancer
      --  Stool Blood Test: This test is used to find small amounts of
          hidden (occult) blood in the stool. Very small amounts of blood
          can be in the stool when polyps or cancers start to form. Having
          this test at an early stage can greatly improve the chances of
          successful treatment.
      --  Colonoscopy: A colonoscopy is usually conducted in patients 50
          years of age and older and allows the doctor to see the entire
          colon. If a polyp is found, the doctor may remove it and if
          anything else looks abnormal, a biopsy can be done at an early
          stage.

About U.S. Preventive Medicine:

U.S. Preventive Medicine(R), a privately owned company, is organizing and commercializing the market for proactive preventive health services in partnership with established hospitals and physician groups. The Company licenses its proprietary methodology, technology and branding assets to a health provider, which operates a local point-of-care -- The Center for Preventive Medicine(R) -- in a geographic territory on an exclusive basis. Individually, The Center for Preventive Medicine delivers a consistent suite of prevention services; collectively, Centers across the country form The U.S. Prevention Network(TM). For more information, please visit http://www.uspreventivemedicine.com/.

U.S. Preventive Medicine(R) and/or The Center for Preventive Medicine(R) do not themselves provide physician or professional services. All physician services are provided by independent practitioners exercising independent professional medical judgment. In addition, U.S. Preventive Medicine and/or The Center for Preventive Medicine do not interfere with or regulate the private physician-patient relationship. This document neither offers for sale nor solicits offers to purchase a franchise or investment unit in a Center for Preventive Medicine(R) or any other security.

Source: U.S. Preventive Medicine

Web site: http://www.uspreventivemedicine.com/