healthinfo.com.au

Diabetes type 2 causes high blood glucose levels and serious changes in metabolism. A person with type 2 diabetes cannot make or use insulin properly. Insulin is the hormone that enables our body cells to use glucose.

Glucose is the main source of energy for our body cells. It is a type of sugar that comes from the carbohydrates in food. In type 2 diabetes, body cells cannot use glucose properly. This can be because they cannot use insulin properly or because the pancreas does not make enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes causes high blood glucose levels.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes.
A family history of type 2 diabetes and an unhealthy lifestyle put people at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It often occurs together with high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and being overweight.

Many Australian men do not look after their own health very well.
They tend to avoid or delay regular health checks and their health is often poorer than that of women the same age.
Men can often improve their health with changes to diet, exercise and other lifestyle habits.

Some health issues

Bowel cancer – more common in men than women. Risk increases over the age of 50 years.
Depression – depression affects about 1 in 6 Australian men, and men are more likely to suicide than women. Men often do not recognise the symptoms of depression and so do not seek help.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) – ED,or impotence, means being unable to get and/or keep an erection that allows sexual intercourse. ED is common,but most men do not like to talk about it with their doctor. Some medical conditions can lead to ED (e.g. diabetes,obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, Parkinson’s disease). Drinking too much alcohol, smoking, stress and some medicines can also cause ED.
Heart disease – men are more likely to die from heart disease than women. Risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and overweight, which are more common in men.
Low testosterone – testosterone is a male sex hormone. A low testosterone level can be caused by disorders of the testes or pituitary gland, or other health problems (e.g. obesity). Testosterone levels also fall as men age. Symptoms of low testosterone include being tired, feeling irritable and less sex drive.
Male pattern hair loss (baldness) – causes some men great distress.
Prostate disease – more common in older men. The three main prostate problems are: • benign prostatic hyperplasia/hypertrophy (BPH) – the prostate gland gets bigger and affects urine flow • prostate cancer • prostatitis – prostate becomes sore and swollen, usually due to infection.
Testicular cancer – more common in younger men, but can occur at any age. May cause a hard lump, swelling or pain in a testicle.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. There are many different types of seizures with different symptoms. Medicines can help prevent these seizures.
A seizure is a disruption to normal brain activity. This can cause brief changes in thoughts, feelings, sensations, movements, behaviour or awareness.

Many people will only ever have one seizure, but a 1/3 will go on to have more seizures and be diagnosed with epilepsy. The treatment varies from person to person. If the seizure lasts for 5 minutes or longer or it is the first seizure fring for an ambulance unless the patient has an epilepsy managemant plan.

A Stroke or cerebrovascular accident occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is in sufficient, causing an area of brain damage.
A transient ischaemic attack, TIA can be a warning sign that a large stroke can happen.
A transient Ischaemic Attack, TIA are temporary cuts in the blood supply to the brain, due to a blockage or partial blockage of an artery by a blood clot or debris. They are similar to a stroke but usually do not cause lasting damage. They are often called mini strokes.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel leading to the brain either becomes blocked or bursts. The effects can vary according to the part of the brain affected and the amount of blockage.  Minor strokes can cause facial muscle drooping or slightly slurred speech, while a major stroke can cause paralysis, dementia, coma or death.  The two types are blockage or cerebral infarction and a bleeding or cerebral haemorrhage stroke.