| NEWS RELEASE | Monday, February 5, 2007 |
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NORTH AMERICAN CONGRESS ON THE AGING MALE
Failure to treat sexual dysfunction can pose serious risk for aging males MONTREAL – Leading research scientists and clinicians from around the world are reaching the consensus that failure to treat decreased sexual function in aging males may actually put them at greater risk for heart disease and cancer. These and other conclusions, which run contrary to contemporary treatment, will be discussed at the North American Congress on the Aging Male, being held at the Hilton Montréal Bonaventure February 8-10th. Calling this “a very important conference for specialists, primary care physicians and physicians and the public,” Dr. Gerald Brock, Professor of Surgery, Division of Urology at the University of Western Ontario, London, said “based on the latest medical evidence this conference will hopefully begin to reverse some potentially dangerous conventional thinking regarding aging, sexual dysfunction and the so-called relationship between hormone therapy and cancer.” Dr. André Guay, a noted endocrinologist from Harvard, will present clear evidence challenging the alleged risks of testosterone therapy. Dr. Guay, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, will discuss the relationship between low levels of testosterone and increased incidence of prostate cancer and cardiovascular problems. Dr. T. N. Nazarov, of the Medical Academy of Post-Graduate Studies in St. Petersburg, Russia, will present a study showing the positive impact of androgen replacement. The reported effects are widespread, showing improvements in libido, sexual activities, memory and attention span, physical endurance and intestinal function along with a reduction of dysuria (painful or difficult urination). Dr. Eric Wespes, General Secretary of the Charleroi University Hospital Center in Brussels, Belgium, speculates that the introduction of new oral therapies for erectile dysfunction (ED) have actually had a beneficial effect on the overall health of aging males. Because of the increased demand for treatment of this problem, doctors are uncovering a range of other potential health problems when they conduct physical examinations prior to prescribing medication for ED. The Chairman of the European Association of Urology working group on ED, will present new information suggesting testosterone therapy should be used prior to prescribing the popular PDE5 inhibitors. Testosterone treatment is the subject of many of the papers to be delivered at this meeting. Starting at about age 30, testosterone levels drop by about 10 percent every decade. At the same time, another factor in the body, called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) is increasing. SHBG traps much of the testosterone that is still circulating and makes it unavailable to exert its effects in the body's tissues. What's left over does the beneficial work and is known as 'bioavailable' testosterone. Andropause, or testosterone deficiency in aging men, is associated with low bioavailable testosterone levels. Every man experiences a decline of bioavailable testosterone, but some men's levels dip lower than others. When this occurs, these men can experience andropausal symptoms. These symptoms can impact their quality of life and may expose them to other, longer-term risks of low testosterone. It is estimated that 30 percent of men in their 50s will have testosterone levels low enough to be causing symptoms or putting them at risk. The Second North American Congress on the Aging Male, organized by the Canadian and International Societies for the Study of the Aging Male, will feature a panel of international experts discussing the most contemporary data on a comprehensive range of endocrinology, urology, and hormone replacement topics related to male aging. Dr. Eric Wespes, General Secretary of the Charleroi University Hospital Center in Brussels, Belgium, speculates that the introduction of new oral therapies for erectile dysfunction (ED) have actually had a beneficial effect on the overall health of aging males. Because of the increased demand for treatment of this problem, doctors are uncovering a range of other potential health problems when they conduct physical examinations prior to prescribing medication for ED. The Chairman of the European Association of Urology working group on ED, will present new information suggesting testosterone therapy should be used prior to prescribing the popular PDE5 inhibitors. Testosterone treatment is the subject of many of the papers to be delivered at this meeting. Starting at about age 30, testosterone levels drop by about 10 percent every decade. At the same time, another factor in the body, called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) is increasing. SHBG traps much of the testosterone that is still circulating and makes it unavailable to exert its effects in the body's tissues. What's left over does the beneficial work and is known as 'bioavailable' testosterone. Andropause, or testosterone deficiency in aging men, is associated with low bioavailable testosterone levels. Every man experiences a decline of bioavailable testosterone, but some men's levels dip lower than others. When this occurs, these men can experience andropausal symptoms. These symptoms can impact their quality of life and may expose them to other, longer-term risks of low testosterone. It is estimated that 30 percent of men in their 50s will have testosterone levels low enough to be causing symptoms or putting them at risk. The Second North American Congress on the Aging Male, organized by the Canadian and International Societies for the Study of the Aging Male, will feature a panel of international experts discussing the most contemporary data on a comprehensive range of endocrinology, urology, and hormone replacement topics related to male aging.
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