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| Male Hypogonadism----Does this picture reflect anything in your life? |
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by Bob Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA - January 10, 2012
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This is Friday, Jan 7 and I am actually home, not running to an OR or a meeting but being a civilized human being trying to rid myself of a nagging cough that I have had for two months. I went to my medical care office twice but after two different diagnosis, a run of antibiotics, a negative CXR and CT of the chest and treatment with cough preparations, antihistamines, Nasacort, etc—the old sage advice of doctors fifty years ago and my nagging wife (who is always right) compelled me to set aside two days for fluids and just rest. Part of my rest is to get on the internet and read articles that are somewhat foreign to me or my practice but demonstrate that symptoms of many diseases overlap and here was one that I would have missed although I share some of the symptoms.
Male hypogonadism is a condition that is severely under recognized and under diagnosed. The diagnosis of hypogonadism in men is based on a combination of clinical signs and symptoms and laboratory tests. The most commonly noted symptoms include rather vague complaints such as lack of energy, loss of motivation, cantankerous mood, inability to concentrate, and sexual symptoms such as loss of desire, sexual dysfunction, erectile difficulties, impotence, and decreased ejaculate volume. In addition, the relationship between hypogonadism and other comorbidities, such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and Alzheimer disease, is a very important and dynamic topic for which new data are continuously emerging. Proper treatment may prevent many of the comorbidities and ameliorate health. Using an interactive case-based format, this educational activity discusses the prevalence of male hypogonadism, comorbidities associated with the disease, and the role of testosterone replacement therapy, to help primary care physicians improve the diagnosis, management, and treatment of this condition, ultimately improving their patients’ quality of life.
This is extremely interesting to those male PAs and NPs who are getting grey and are paunchy and share some of the endocrinological diseases and symptoms. I’ll spend the next 45 minutes listening to the discussion and will walk away a bit more educated and with a wider differential diagnosis. Yes, we all need to take the time to dive deeply into the literature and expose ourselves to medical conditions that are unfamiliar just to gain familiarity with them. That’s what makes us good or better clinicians.
If you have seen this ad and the faculty presentation, remove it from your trash bin and take a listen as you may have discovered that you too may expand your diagnostic capabilities although you do not have the disease. That’s part of the fun of being a clinician----the daily learning.
Bob
Robert M. Blumm has received national recognition as a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). He is the past president of the Association of Plastic Surgery Physician Assistants, and was past-president of the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, past president of the American College of Clinicians and NYSSPA, as well as Chairman of the Surgical Congress of the AAPA. In addition, Bob received the John Kirklin MD Award for Professional Excellence from the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants. Along with his associate, Dr. Acker, Bob was the first recipient of the AAPA PAragon Physician-PA Partnership Award. He has been a contributing author of three textbooks, written 300 plus articles and is a sought out conference speaker throughout the United States.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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