Common Men’s Health Conditions: Cardiovascular Disease, Liver Disease, Prostate Issues, and Cancer

Men deal with many types of medical and surgical conditions, although they generally tend to ignore some health problems and visit the doctor less often than women do.

Men can suffer from certain specific ailments Photo: Arhivă Adevărul

Dr. Cristina Cornoiu, family medicine specialist – Family Planning Office – Târgu-Jiu County Emergency Hospital, claims that cardiovascular diseases are more common among men.

“One of the reasons why this happens is that men are more prone to certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, alcohol consumption and smoking.

Men may also have an unbalanced diet compared to women, which may contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Maintaining heart health is achieved by adopting a healthy lifestyle: eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and avoiding excessive alcohol and smoking. Attendance at routine medical check-ups and compliance with the treatment recommended by the doctor are also important”, says doctor Cornoiu.

Liver diseases

Liver diseases can affect both men and women equally, however, certain types of liver diseases are more common in a certain sex, says doctor Cristina Cornoiu.

“For example, cirrhosis of the liver, a serious condition of the liver that leads to enlargement of the liver and changes in liver tissue, is more common in men than in women. This may be due to the fact that men are more prone to develop liver diseases caused by excessive alcohol consumption and infection with the hepatitis C virus”, explains Dr. Cornoiu.

According to her, other liver diseases that can affect men are:

• hepatitis A – a viral infection of the liver that can be prevented by vaccination;

• hepatitis B – caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus; this form of hepatitis can, in turn, be prevented by vaccination and can be treated with medication;

• hepatitis C – is transmitted through the blood and can progress to liver cirrhosis, if not treated;

• hepatic steatosis – can develop when the liver contains a large amount of fat. It can be caused by obesity or diabetes and can lead to more serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.

“It is important to see your doctor if you suspect you have liver disease or if you have risk factors for developing liver disease, such as excessive alcohol consumption or infection with one or more liver viruses. With proper treatment, many of these conditions can be managed or treated,” the doctor added.

Diseases of the prostate and the reproductive system

The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that lies below the bladder and surrounds the urethra (the tube through which urine is eliminated).

Doctor Cristina Cornoiu shows which are the main conditions affecting the prostate:

• prostatitis – inflammation of the prostate that can cause pain in the hypogastric area, difficulty urinating and discomfort during sexual intercourse;

• benign prostate hyperplasia (prostate adenoma) – represents an increase in the size of the prostate, which can cause problems with urination: difficulty starting or stopping urination and the frequent need to urinate;

• prostate cancer – is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate and can cause symptoms such as difficulty urinating, pain during sexual intercourse and pain in the hypogastric or lumbar region.

“In order to monitor the health of the prostate it is particularly important to show up for routine check-ups. If symptoms or suspicions regarding a prostate condition appear, it is recommended to consult the doctor for an evaluation of the health condition and, if necessary, for the prescription of an appropriate treatment”, the doctor said.

It outlined the conditions that can affect the male reproductive system, including:

• erectile dysfunction – the difficulty of obtaining or maintaining an erection sufficient to have a satisfactory sexual act. Causes may include certain health problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or emotional factors, such as stress or anxiety;

• infertility – the term infertility refers to the difficulty of conceiving a child. Causes may include problems with sperm, such as low quantity or poor quality, or problems with the testicles, such as a condition called varicocele – dilation of the veins that drain blood from the testicles into the systemic circulation;

• testicular cancer – occurs relatively rarely, but is the second most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 20 and 39. Symptoms of testicular cancer may include: pain or discomfort in the testicle or groin, enlargement of the scrotum, changes in the appearance or size of the testicles.

The forms of cancer to which men are prone

There are several types of cancer that are more common in men than in women. According to the doctor, these include:

• prostate cancer;

• lung cancer – it is the form of cancer that ranks first in terms of incidence among men, smoking being the main risk factor for this type of neoplasm;

• colorectal cancer – is a condition that develops when cancer cells form in the lining of the colon or rectum. Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer may include more frequent or less frequent stools than usual, stools that contain blood or mucus, severe abdominal pain, severe fatigue, and unexplained weight loss;

• liver cancer – can be caused by hepatitis B or C virus infection or excessive alcohol consumption.

2023-07-08 05:49:31
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