How do health professionals make decisions in diagnosis and treatment of diseases? Of course, their ongoing medical education helps and most attend conferences and are in line with research in their scientific journals.
However, professionals are also consulting the guidelines issued by medical societies, such as the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) or the American Urological Union (AUA). Society panels carefully examine the latest clinical trials and other studies and use these elements to develop recommendations.
In recent years, testosterone replacement therapy has been a hot issue for medical societies. In August last year, we covered new guidelines from the US Urological Society. Today, we will discuss a set of guidelines informed by endocrine society, a professional group of over 18,000 hormone specialists.
Since testosterone is an important hormone for men, the list of guidelines can be a key tool for sexual health experts and primary care physicians facing men with hypogonadism (low testosterone).
The guidelines of endocrine society were initially issued in 2010 and informed in 2018.
(Note: For a primer in hypogonadism, please see the links at the bottom of this post.)
Why were the guidelines updated?
Scientists have conducted a great deal of research on testosterone treatment in recent years. Updated instructions reflect new findings and concerns.
In addition, more men seek help in issues related to testosterone deficiency nowadays and “Low T” gets a lot of media coverage. As a result, men ask their doctors if testosterone treatment could help them. It is crucial for reconstructors to fully understand the benefits and dangers.
What do the up -to -date instructions say?
The main points of the informed guidelines of endocrine society on hypogonadism include the following points:
Diagnosis
- In general, men should not be subjected to hypogonadism. However, it is recommended to diagnose hypogonadism if a person has symptoms (such as low libido or fatigue) and a blood test reveals lower than normal testosterone levels.
- Based on other hormonal measurements, men can be diagnosed primary hypogonadism (caused by problems in the testicles) or secondary hypogonadism (caused by problems in parts of the brain that cause testosterone production).
Treatment
- The recommended goals of testosterone therapy are to “cause and maintain” the secondary sex characteristics driven by testosterone (such as facial hair and muscle mass) and the relief of symptoms such as low sexual movement.
- Testosterone treatment is not recommended for men who would like to father a child in the near future. Men with some health problems (such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, unseen severe obstructive sleep apnea and recent heart attack or stroke) should not take testosterone.
- Testosterone therapy may not be suitable for men between 55 and 69 years old who are expected to live at least ten years. Doctors should discuss the benefits and dangers with these patients.
- Men over 65 years of age should not be prescribed ordinary testosterone. Instead, doctors should consider each person’s condition.
- Men with HIV, low testosterone and weight loss can undergo testosterone therapy to win and maintain weight.
- Men with diabetes and low testosterone should not use testosterone as a way to control their blood sugar.
Monitoring
- Once testosterone therapy begins, men should have regular tests to make sure it works well and there are no side effects.
- During the first year of treatment, men with abnormal effects of prostate cancer should see a urologist.
What does this mean to patients?
While these guidelines are intended for health professionals, they can also be useful for men.
Understanding the guidelines for each treatment you take helps you to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of treatment as you make health decisions.
“THE [updated Endocrine Society] The guideline highlights the importance of involvement of patients in a joint decision -making process, especially in the selection of therapeutic conductors and prostate monitoring, “said Dr. Shalender Bhasin, head of the Group Development Group, in an interview with his interview. Endocrine news.
Learn more
For more information on hypogonadism and testosterone, see these links:
Low testosterone
Disassociation of the latest testosterone treatment lines
What should men know about local testosterone?
Self -certified testosterone is now available
FDA approves testosterone in pill format
Resources
Endocrine news
“Q&A: Shalender Bhasin, MD”
(May 2018)
The endocrine society
‘Concerning endocrine society’
‘Testosterone Therapy for Guidelines for Hypogonadism’
The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Bhasin, Shalender, et al.
“Testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism: a guideline of clinical practice of endocrine society”
(Full text. Posted: March 17, 2018)
