Did you know? Over 9 out of 10 older adults have some kind of chronic disease(s), which may be one cause of erectile dysfunction. Almost 8 out of 10 have more than one chronic disease! It is very common, and likely, that you will have one as well. However, knowledge and preventative measures can help us be as healthy as possible, and can address any issues on ED.
As June is Men’s Health Month, we want to go over some of the more common health issues for men over 50.
Common issues for 50 years and above:
– Colorectal Cancer
– Prostate Cancer
– Heart disease
– Erectile Dysfunction (detailed information presented below, with treatment options and compounded product options).
Erectile dysfunction (ED) – men who are not able to achieve or keep an erection. This can be due to damage from high blood sugar/pressure to nerves and blood vessels, treatment for prostate cancer/enlarged prostate, or tobacco/alcohol use.
Causes can be a result of health problems, emotional issues, or from both.
Some risk factors are:
– Age 50 years (older age does not always cause ED)
– Diabetes
– Hypertension
– Cardiovascular disease
– Hyperlipidemia
– Smoking
– Alcohol/drug usage
– Obesity
– Antidepressants
Treatment depends upon discussion with your urologist; however, non-invasive treatments are initially chosen to begin with by men, before moving to penile self-injections or other options in case of insufficient effectiveness.
Men should be counseled to include lifestyle modifications which can be negatively affecting erectile dysfunction. These modifications can include change in diet and increased physical activity which will improve overall health.
Treatment options:
– Oral tablets: Viagra and Cialis – titrate to provide optimal efficacy
– Topical, injection or implanted pellets: Testosterone (for rare cases where low blood levels cause ED, may be used in combination with oral tablets)
– Penile injections: BiMix (Papaverine/ Phentolamine), TriMix (Papaverine/ Alprostadil/ Phentolamine) and QuadMix (Papaverine/ Alprostadil/ Phentolamine/Atropine)
– Vacuum erection devices
– Penile implants
– Surgery
Compounded medication for erectile dysfunction
Trimix – Alprostadil is a prostaglandin which causes relaxation of trabecular smooth muscle and dilation of cavernosal arteries. This results in an induced erection due to increased blood flow to the penis.
Papaverine is a vasodilator which directly acts to relax the smooth muscles, thereby increasing the blood flow.
Phentolamine is an alpha receptor blocker which are present in the muscles that line the blood vessel walls. With the blocking mechanism, the muscles are relaxed causing widening of the blood vessels and increase in blood flow.
All the components work together to cause an effect of a penile erection.
Preventative Measures
So, what can you do to ensure you are as healthy as possible?
See your physician for regular check-ups and exams – health problems for men over 50 increase every year. Monitoring your cholesterol and blood pressure are key for reducing chances of having a stroke or heart attack. It is also very important to always have regular blood work done in order to keep diabetes at bay for longer. Lastly, prostate exams and colonoscopies are not exactly at the top of anyone’s list of what is fun, but early detection of any potential issues are better caught early. Men with heart disease are more likely to have erectile dysfunction.
Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet – It is tempting to have all of your favorite foods all the time, but, to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes requires eating healthy. Try to limit your red meat, fatty foods, and high-sodium foods to a healthy level. Having a healthy diet includes drinking more water! Men who drink soda are at greater risks in developing diabetes or prostate cancer, and over-consuming high-fat foods also is a factor to ED.
Exercise, exercise, exercise – Get your blood pumping and strengthen your heart with high-intensity physical activity. If it is difficult for you to do any strenuous physical exercise, a brisk walk or job is okay. A few hours of exercise a week may reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction. Try to aim for about 160 minutes of aerobic exercise a week.
Talk to our pharmacists today if you would like more information!
https://myhealthkc.com/blog/top-health-concerns-for-men-at-every-age
https://www.swgeneral.com/blog/2022/may/top-health-conditions-in-aging-men/
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/quiz/
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/about/what-is-colorectal-cancer.html
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-and-men.html
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/e/erectile-dysfunction-(ed)
https://www.empowerpharmacy.com/drugs/bimix-injection
https://www.empowerpharmacy.com/what-is-trimix
https://www.empowerpharmacy.com/drugs/quadmix-injection
https://www.auanet.org/guidelines/guidelines/erectile-dysfunction-(ed)-guideline
