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| Conference 2003 |  |
CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE USE OF ANDROGENS
IN THE ANDROPAUSE Professor Bruno Lunenfeld, Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar - Ilan University Ramat
Gan 52900 The field of hormonal alterations in the aging male is attracting increasing
interest in the medical community and the public at large. Simultaneously, industry
has realized the growing importance and enormous potential of the impact of a
rapidly mounting population of males over the age of 50 years which will be positioned
for special health needs in the first quarter of this century and probably beyond.
Among these needs hormone replacement therapy (HRT) rates high, as it has for
post-menopausal women over the last 25 years. It is fully recognized that the endocrinological changes associated with
male aging are not limited to sex hormones. On the contrary, profound changes
occur in other hormones such as growth hormone, melatonin and thyroxin. However,
late-onset hypogonadism or androgen decline in the aging male (ADAM)*
also widely known as andropause is a fast developing field. The understanding
of ADAM among large sections of the medical profession dealing with mature
men (i.e. primary care, internists, urologists, etc.) has not kept pace with the
developments in the field. A great deal of confusion and misunderstandings surrounding
diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of late-onset hypogonadism exist. Therefore, the ISSAM (International Society for the Study of the Aging
Male)–in fulfilling its mandate- considered that this was an opportune time
to provide factual information on the various clinical aspects of the andropause
in the form a set of practical recommendations dealing exclusively with ADAM and
androgen replacement therapy (ART). Opinions on the need for and effects of hormone
replacement in aging change frequently and long held views are now being vigorously
challenged. The material in this recommendations which will be discussed in
detail, represents recent information on the andropause; however, it may require
frequent updates as new and relevant data becomes available Bruno Lunenfeld, M.D.,FRCOG.,FACOG
(hon.) P.O.G.S.(hon.) Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar - Ilan University Ramat
Gan 52900 Born in Vienna (Austria) in 1927, he received his education in Austria,
United Kingdom, and Israel. He Graduated from the medical School in Geneva Switzerland. Following his post graduate work in Geneva he joined the Weizman
Institute as senior Scientist till 1961, and then headed the WHO International
Reference Center for Fertility Promoting Drugs from 1959-1992 and the Institute
of Endocrinology at the Sheba Medical center from 1961- 1992. He acted as a Consultant and member of Expert Committees at the World
Health Organization from 1967 to 1992. From 1967- 1995 he was Professor
of endocrinology at Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Department of
Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University. From 1975-1983 he was president of the
Israel Fertility Society, 1990 –1995 he was Vice-President and
Member of the Executive Board of the Scientific Council, Israel Medical Association
, He was a founding member of the Israel Endocrine Society and its president between
1992 and 1995 . Since 1995 he is Professor Emeritus at Faculty of Life Sciences
Bar-Ilan University. He was instrumental in the study of the aging
male, was the founder of the International Society for the Study of
the Aging Male (ISSAM),, and its president.
He is editor of the Journal ‘The Aging Male’. He Organized (in
collaboration with the World Health Organization) and chaired the first,
second and third world Congress of the aging male in Geneva February 1998,
and 2000 and in Berlin, 2002. He will also chair the fourth world Congress
of the aging male in Prague 26-29th February 2004. | |