Men's Health Month

As they get older, men's risk of facing certain health challenges increases: Cardiovascular diseases, urinary problems, diabetes, cancer, depression...

The onset of symptoms may appear to be silent and even if they become more frequent, they may not seem significant.

That's why, to mark Men's Health Month, we're launching an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging men over 50 to take care of their health.

Did you know?

• In somes countries (ex: in France), hypertension (high blood pressure) is more common in men than in women over the age of 50.  
  25% of French people aged 45 to 54 have hypertension, and about 50% are diagnosed ⁽¹⁾.
• The prevalence of type 2 diabetes increases with age and is higher in men than in women of the same age group.
  In French men aged 45-54, the number of cases is multiplied by a factor of 16 ⁽²⁾..
• The probability of having a stroke increases markedly after age 50 in men.
  Of the 120,000 myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) detected each year, 1/3 occur in people under 60 ⁽³⁾..
• Cholesterol :  45% of French men aged 45-54 present an increase in bad LDL cholesterol levels ⁽⁴⁾.

• Colorectal cancer: 85-90% of colon cancers occur after age 50, with 610,000 men affected worldwide each year⁽¹¹⁾.

  Only 35.4% (in 2021-2022) of French people aged 50 to 74 underwent the recommended screenings ⁽⁹⁾...

   

  5 essential screenings for men over 50 for early diagnosis

1.    Colorectal cancer: search for blood in the stools (screening test, +/-coloscopy).

2.    Prostate cancer: digital rectal examination, PSA dosage (Prostate Specific Antigen) 

3.   Type 2 diabetes: blood test

4.    High cholesterol: blood test

5.    Skin cancer: dermatological examination

After the age of 50, more than half of all men suffer from urinary problems 

The frequent and urgent need to urinate, delayed drops, frequent night-time trips to the toilet, loss of libido, urinary incontinence...

Most of these "private" problems are common among men, especially after the age of 50.

Did you know?

• 1 in 2 men over 50 suffer from urinary problems that may be linked to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia ⁽⁵⁾.
• 25% of men over 50 suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) ⁽⁶⁾.
• 10-12% of men suffer from Overactive Bladder (OAB) after age 50 ⁽⁷⁾..
• Over 71,000 men over the age of 50 develop prostate cancer every year, with an average of 9,000 prostate cancer deaths per year ⁽⁸⁾.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

In men of a certain age, urinary disorders are very often linked to what is known as "prostate enlargement" or "Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia" (BPH).

The prostate is a chestnut-sized gland located under the bladder, in front of the rectum. It surrounds the upper part of the urethra, the urinary canal that exits the bladder and allows the passage of urine and semen.

Together with the seminal vesicles, it is involved in the production of seminal fluid, a component of semen. 

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate gland. As the prostate enlarges, it gradually compresses the urethra and impedes bladder emptying. After the age of 40, the prostate gradually increases in volume, and this phenomenon becomes more pronounced with age: in 9 out of 10 cases, urinary disorders in men over 50 are linked to BPH.

What are urinary disorders in men? 

-    Frequent urination: during the day (pollakiuria) or at night (nocturia)

-    The urgent need to urinate, sometimes so urgent that you may even have difficulty holding it (urgency)

-    A stream of urine that flows more slowly or is interrupted (choppy).

-    Delayed drops

-    A need to force the bladder, to "push" in order to urinate

-    The feeling of not having completely emptied your bladder after urinating

-    Sometimes associated with urinary disorders, erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction

Don't ignore these signs, and even though they are rather private, don’t be afraid to talk about them with those around you and with your doctor.

Listen to a patient's video testimony!

Testimonial from Laurent, 64, who suffers from benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)

Like Laurent, 64, you may have been disturbed by the appearance of the first symptoms of urinary problems.

It's not easy for a mature man to confide in someone, especially his partner or doctor, when the symptoms are complicating his social, professional and even sexual life.

It was thanks to his partner that Laurent decided to consult a doctor, who diagnosed him with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).
Over the past 5 years, Laurent has learnt to live with these inconveniences. In his testimonial, he urges men to speak out at the slightest suspicious sign.

These disorders can have a significant impact on quality of life and lead to feelings of being alone.  

That's why, through our awareness campaign, we encourage men to speak up !
 

Overactive bladder ^{(12, 13)}

Overactive bladder is a urological condition that manifests itself as an urgent and frequent need to urinate, with or without urge urinary incontinence, often accompanied by frequent urination at night (nocturia).

This condition is relatively common and can affect people of any age, although it is more common in older adults. 

Epidemiological studies estimate that this condition affects around 16% of adults, with prevalence increasing with age ⁽⁷⁾. 

It is characterised by abnormal bladder function, where the bladder contracts involuntarily even when it is not completely full. 

This can lead to a series of symptoms that affect patients' quality of life. 

- Urinary urgency: a sudden, intense need to urinate that is difficult to delay.
- Urinary frequency: the need to urinate more often than normal, usually more than eight times in 24 hours.
- Urge incontinence: involuntary leakage of urine immediately after an urgent need to urinate.
- Nocturia: waking up several times during the night to urinate.

The impact of OAB on patients can be significant, affecting their daily life, sleep, social life and mental health. Symptoms can cause embarrassment and anxiety, and can limit social and professional activities. In addition, sleep quality can be disrupted, which can lead to fatigue and a decline in overall quality of life.
 

Treatments for patients with OAB are available: they may benefit from a course of treatment that includes dietary advice, sometimes perineal re-education, oral medication or surgery, depending on the severity of symptoms and response to initial treatments. It is important for people suffering from these symptoms to consult a healthcare professional for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Tobacco: it's not too late to stop at 50

Tobacco is responsible for 75,000 premature deaths a year in France: 200 deaths/day, 44,000 of which are due to cancer⁽⁹⁾.

It's the #1 CAUSE OF AVOIDABLE DEATH! 

If you're a smoker, think about quitting; the health benefits are numerous and immediate!

The most well-known harmful effects are: cardiovascular diseases, lung cancers, throat cancers, mouth and oral cavity cancers…

The harmful role of tobacco exposure has been established in a number of urological pathologies, particularly in oncology, but also in erectile dysfunction, fertility disorders, bladder instability and post-operative complications.

Did you know?

Tobacco can also cause erectile dysfunction: chronic smokers are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to develop erectile dysfunction.
This risk is correlated with the number of years you have been smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked per day.
Erectile dysfunction should be monitored, as it may be a sign of latent cardiovascular disease in a smoker...

QUITTING smoking is strongly recommended! A possible improvement in blood flow and penile rigidity has been observed after only 24 to 36 hours of quitting ⁽¹⁰⁾. 

Another good reason to quit smoking!

Things to remember :

•    The earlier you stop smoking, the more life expectancy you gain
•    It's never too late to stop!
•    Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
•    Smoking tobacco leads to a triple addiction: a physical addiction to nicotine, which is at the root of the withdrawal syndrome, a behavioral addiction (rituals, habits, movements), and a psychological addiction (pleasure, anxiety, socialization, emotions).
•    Nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and oral treatments (lozenges, gums, tablets...) in combined treatment more or less associated , with cognitive behavioral therapy, nutritional support and regular monitoring by a healthcare professional, help improve your chances successfully quitting smoking.
•    It is possible to fight this triple addiction to tobacco with:
-    A nicotine substitute prescription tailored to your dependence
-    The advice of a healthcare professional who will act on the psychological addiction. Healthcare professionals play a key role in the success of quitting by providing regular support to patients.

When you want to stop smoking, it's always better to have someone to help you, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor.

1.    Hypertension artérielle en France : 17 millions d’hypertendus dont plus de 6 millions n’ont pas connaissance de leur maladie (santepubliquefrance.fr)
2.     Haute Autorité de Santé - Diabète de type 2 (has-sante.fr)
3.    Accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC) | ameli.fr | Assuré
4.    Cholestérol LDL chez les adultes en France métropolitaine : concentration moyenne, connaissance et traitement en 2015, évolutions depuis 2006 (santepubliquefrance.fr)
5.    Perceptions of benign prostatic hyperplasia according to the perspective of patients and general practitioners — the Trophée study. F LACOIN et al. Progrès en urologie (2013) 23, 50-57
6.    Chez l’homme de 50 ans et plus... | Le Quotidien du Médecin (lequotidiendumedecin.fr)
7.    Definition, epidemiology and impact of non-neurogenic overactive bladder :  V. PHE , X. GAME Progrès en urologie (2020) 30, 866—872
8.    Rapport d'orientation - Cancer de la prostate (has-sante.fr)
9.    https://www.e-cancer.fr/Professionnels-de-sante/Les-chiffres-du-cancer-en-France
10.    Sighinolfi M.C and col , Immediate Improvement in Penile Hemodynamics after Cessation of Smoking: Previous Results -Adult Urology 69 (1), 2007
11.    https://gco.iarc.fr/en
12.    Tubaro A. Defining overactive bladder: Epidemiology and burden of disease: Urology 2004; 64 (SUPPL 6A): 2-6 
13.    Hutchinson A. et al. Overactive bladder syndrome , management and treatment options 2020; 49 (9): 593-598

275081 - 09/2024