Editor’s Note - June 2015
The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that 1 in 3 men (compared to 1 in 5 women) do not have a primary care physician.1 In 2007, only 15% of men (age 15-65) were likely to seek preventive care from a primary care physician versus 44% of women.1 Furthermore, CDC data shows that a substantial percentage of men have poor health, several risk factors, and minimal insurance coverage.
What do we know today? In 1920, women lived an average of 1 year longer than men. According to the latest data from the CDC, men now die almost 5 years earlier than women.2 By the age of 100, women outnumber men 8:1.2 In fact, men die at higher rates than women from all of the top 10 causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, and workplace injuries.2 Depression in men is often undiagnosed which translates to a 4-fold increase in suicide among men (28.5 in men vs 3.9 in women age 65 and older).3
In honor of Men’s Health Awareness Month, Consultant360 has highlighted several recent studies:
• Coffee reduces erectile dysfunction risk. Men who drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day had a lower chance of developing erectile dysfunction.4
• Testosterone injections linked to cardiovascular risk. Researchers concluded that testosterone injections were associated with greater risk of cardiovascular events, hospitalization, and death compared with testosterone patches and gels.5
• Combination of statins and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) slows prostate cancer progression. Researchers evaluated statin use in patients using ADT to treat prostate cancer and found a connection between statin use on ADT and the median time of disease progression.6
• Stimulant found in dietary supplements linked to stroke. A new case report finds that beta-methylphenthylamine, an undisclosed stimulant found in some dietary supplements, could cause hemorrhagic stroke when combined with exercise.7
• Depression doubles first-time stroke risk. Patients with consistently elevated symptoms of depression for 4 years had twice the risk of first-time stroke compared to individuals who had low depressive symptoms.8
Sincerely,
Pooja Shah
Managing Editor, Consultant and Consultant360
References:
1. Heidelbaugh J, Tortorello M. The adult well male examination. Am Fam Physician. 2012;85(10):964-971.
2. CDC. Mortality by underlying and multiple cause, age 18+: US, 1981-2013. http://205.207.175.93/HDI/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportID=166. Accessed June 3, 2015.
3. CDC. Life expectancy. www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/life-expectancy.htm. Accessed June 3, 2015.
4. Butcher MC. Study: 3 cups of coffee a day reduces erectile dysfunction. Consultant360. May 22, 2015. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/study-3-cups-coffee-day-reduces-erectile-dysfunction-risk. Accessed June 3, 2015.
5. Potts M. New study evaluates CV safety of testosterone treatments. Consultant360. May 13, 2015. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/cv-risk-higher-testosterone-injections-gels-patches. Accessed June 3, 2015.
6. Butcher MC. Could statin use delay progression of prostate cancer? Consultant360. May 11, 2015. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/could-statin-use-delay-progression-prostate-cancer. Accessed June 3, 2015.
7. Butcher MC. Stimulant found in dietary supplements linked to stroke. Consultant360. March 12, 2015. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/stimulant-found-dietary-supplements-linked-stroke. Accessed June 3, 2015.
8. Butcher MC. Depression doubles first-time stroke risk. Consultant360. May 14, 2015. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/depression-doubles-first-time-stroke-risk. Accessed June 3, 2015.