OLD AGE DISEASES IN MEN: THE PRACTICAL APPROACHES FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR GOOD AND HEALTHY LIVING.

OLD AGE DISEASES IN MEN: THE PRACTICAL APPROACHES FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR GOOD AND HEALTHY LIVING.

OLD AGE DISEASES IN MEN: THE PRACTICAL APPROACHES FOR PRE-MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR GOOD AND HEALTHY LIVING. (BY UGWU HUMPHREY .C. (Ph.D)

       As men age, they become more prone to various health conditions. This stems from the fact that aging negatively affects most tissues, organs and systems due to gradual but steady degeneration of both the structure and functions of the systems involved.

     Though the rate of aging of these organs /systems vary from individual to individual due to some factors, including genetic, lifestyle, environmental as well as social and psychological factors.  Wikipedia defines aging as the process of becoming older until death. Aging is characterized by a gradual decline in various physiological function and cognitive abilities.

 COMMON DISEASES PREVALENT IN OLD AGE ARE;

Cardiovascular diseases like;

       I. Heart disease: These include coronary artery disease and heart failure.  Heart disease is very prevalent at old age and accounts for the highest incidence of sudden death (slumping e.t.c). Also called a ‘silent killer’.

       II. Hypertension: High blood pressure can lead to severe complications including stroke e.t.c

Other diseases that are likely to occur in old age also includes;

 

1. Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes (Adult onset) is more common from 50s due to lifestyle and changes in insulin production and absorption.

 

2. Arthritis:  Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause joint pain and reduce mobility.

 

3. Prostate Enlargement/cancer: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is common in adults males in late 40s and early 50s. This hardly occurs in younger adult males.  In some cases prostate malignancy may be a later complication coming 2^nd as leading cause of cancer deaths of men in USA after lung cancer.

 

4. Stroke: This can happen at any age but older men are at a higher risk.

 

5. Osteoporosis: This is the loss of bone mass and micro-structural degeneration of bone tissue disposing it to fracture known as pathological fracture. There is remarkably an increased risk of fracture as age advances.

 

6. Erectile Dysfunction:  There is a medical condition where a man has difficulty getting or maintaining an erection. It is most common as a man ages.

 

7. Depression:  This medical condition cuts across all ages but most prevalent at old age because of many predisposing factors; including poverty, abandonment, Health challenges, social isolation e.t.c

 

8. Obesity: Tendency to develop obesity at old age is common due to sedentary life styles, lack of exercise and metabolic disorders.

 

   

DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF OLD AGE SICKNESSES.

1. Routine Checkups:

This is very crucial for early detection and management of age related disease conditions.

 

2. Healthy life style

      Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, managing stress and avoiding smoking and reducing alcohol consumption can significantly reduce the risk of many old age related diseases.

 

3. Early treatment

Seeking prompt medical attention for any of these health concerns is essential to prevent the conditions from degenerating and requiring more extensive and costly interventions.

        Finally, the earlier we come to terms with the aging process the better we prepared we will be to cope with its challenges.