Male Andropause & Sexual Physiology Changes

As adult male gets older there is the need to make them acknowledge and understand factors that will affect changes in sexual physiology, anatomy, and the stages of sexual response as it relates alteration to their sexual behavior in other to accommodate these physiological changes and facilitate continued pleasurable sex (Touhy, 2012)

Andropause is a decline of testosterone in adult male, this physiological changes decrease libido during sexuality, this sexual response cycle occurs with aging, although this varies from individual depending on the general health condition of individual as it relates to disease affecting individual, lifestyle and other factors (Horstman, Dillon, Urban, & Shefield-Moore, 2012).

The purpose of this threaded paper is to discuss andropause as it affect adult male patient, what to expect from patient going through andropause, as well as performing assessment and diagnosis of prostate carcinoma. The adult-geron primary care nurse practitioners (AGPCNP) is aware of this major concern within adult and older adult patient population and are poised to provide adequate information about these changes as well as appropriate assessment and counseling within the context of the individual’s needs.

Male andropause was first described in 1939 as a clinical situation where there is a loss or decline in plasma testosterone in male patient over the age of 50 (Melo, Soares, & Baragatti, 2013). In a study regard male hypogonadism it confirmed that there is a significant reduction of blood perfusion in the testicles, this reduction brought about a huge decline in testosterone level which help in eliciting erection.

Decline in sexuality is associated with aging which is as a result in decline of androgen hormone in men which put men in state of andropause.

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The decline of androgen hormone triggered the reduction of testosterone which caused muscle mass, bone mass and physical functions to decline. Aging is result in loss of sex hormones, gradual decline in circulating testosterone production (Horstman et al., 2011).

According to Horstman, 2011, male androgen begin to decline from age 35 years, circulating testosterone concentration levels decrease by approximately 1% to 3% in a year, 20% of men older than 60 years and 50% of men older than 80 years have serum testosterone level below the normal range for younger men and this make them less sexual active.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is hormone which is release from the hypothalamus, this help to stimulate the production and release of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in the anterior pituitary. Follicle-stimulating hormone is responsible for sperm production and luteinizing hormone in testosterone secretion which is responsible for the sexual characteristics in relation to the masculine maturity, that is the development of the penis (Horstman, et al., 2012).

Sexuality is an important part adult of married couples, it is a core dimensions of the human experience and this also determines couples well-being. However, sexual problem still plague couple and this has affected marriages mood, quality of life and relationships (Byrne, Doherty, McGee & Murphy, 2010). Apart from physiological changes which affect sexuality in older adult, there are some other factors which affect the sexuality; this is why you hear patient with diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension and coronary heart disease complaining about their sexuality (Byrne et al., 2010)

This is where the AGPCNP plays important role in disseminating information to patient who is plaque with disease by educating on how it will impact their sexuality, as well as how the use of certain medications will affect their ability to maintain proper erection As AGPCNPs are ideally in the position to initiate discussions of sexuality with their patient, this will give basis for counseling, propose treatment options for patient who are undergoing andropause and educating patient with cardiovascular disease who are afraid of engaging in sexual activity for fear a sudden death during sexual activity (Byrne et al., 2010).