Unlike women, men do not routinely visit their general practitioner; they only do so in situations of acute illness. Therefore, in our daily medical practice we see: An earlier mortality in men; Diagnosis of diseases in more advanced and severe stages; Higher rates of hospitalization. Routine surveillance of men health is essential! It is known that regular health surveillance prevents many problems and is associated with significant quality of life gains. On the other hand, health promotion measures, on which your attending physician can advise you, will result in the prevention of serious and often fatal diseases, as well as chronic diseases that, due to their characteristics, significantly decrease the quality of life. How often should you visit the doctor? The ideal frequency of consultations with your general practitioner depends on several factors, namely the presence of disease risk factors. However, if there is no other indication, men, in any age group, should have an annual consultation with their general practitioner. These routine visits allow your physician to: Provide guidance on specific needs throughout life stages; Transmit what you need to know and do to have a longer and healthier life; Make earlier diagnoses; Identify health care needs; Refer to other medical specialties whenever necessary. Promotion of male health The adoption of a healthy lifestyle and practices is one of the pillars of disease prevention. Regular contact with the attending general practitioner allows a continuity of care relationship. Thus, it will be possible to make a continuous assessment of habits that can have harmful effects and that are more characteristic of men, as well as advise for special stages or circumstances of each men life: Excessive alcohol consumption; Smoking habits; Screening for overweight and obesity; Advice on healthy eating habits; Counseling for physical exercise; Advice on sun exposure and skin cancer prevention; Advice on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases; Advice on preventing accidents and falls; Advice on stress management; Preparation for parenthood. Prevention of diseases In men, the attending general practitioner directs his attention particularly to the prevention and / or early detection of several diseases based on knowledge of the individual health profile, on the physical examination performed at each consultation and on the recommended screening for each male age group, using specific questionnaires and/or diagnostic test results. The main diseases that are screened in men are: Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); Depression; Anxiety; Hypertension; Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol); Diabetes; Cardiovascular risk, that is, risk of acute myocardial infarction and stroke; Colorectal cancer; Benign prostatic hyplerplasia; Prostate cancer; Lung cancer (heavy smokers); Erectile dysfunction; Abdominal aortic aneurysm; Osteoporosis (yes, also in men!); Dementia. In the area of disease prevention, the vaccination needs is also addressed. Do not avoid your attending general practitioner, please remember: Your general practitioner can be your best ally to maintain health and prevent disease; He can guide you through the various stages of life and advise you so that you have a long and healthy life; Do not visit your doctor only when you have any new symptoms or feel sick. Take care of your health, only this allows you to live your day-to-day fully. Author : Daniel Beirão Meet the General and Family Medicine team of Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
