9 Common Medical Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Medical Mistake 2: Not Getting a Physical

If you don’t have your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose tested regularly—preferably every five years if you’re in your 20s and 30s and otherwise healthy, and yearly after that—you don’t know if you’re at risk for a heart attack or stroke. “Denial can be deadly,” says Nieca Goldberg, M.D., a cardiologist and medical director at the NYU Women’s Heart Program in New York City.

Fix It: Schedule a physical and get the facts on:

• Your blood pressure
• Total cholesterol
• LDL or “bad” cholesterol
• HDL or “good” cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Glucose
• Body mass index
• Waist circumference