Men's Health
AKT High-Yield Breakdown
Men's health questions in the AKT focus on erectile dysfunction (including PDE5 inhibitor prescribing safety), lower urinary tract symptoms and prostate conditions, testicular emergencies, male hypogonadism, and genital dermatology. The exam rewards candidates who know when to investigate, when to refer urgently, and which drug interactions are absolute contraindications.
What You'll Learn
Master erectile dysfunction management and PDE5 inhibitor contraindications, BPH and LUTS prescribing, prostate cancer PSA thresholds and 2WW criteria, testicular torsion as a urological emergency, epididymo-orchitis treatment by age group, testicular cancer recognition, and male hypogonadism workup.
Practise Men's Health MCQs
From PDE5 inhibitor contraindications and LUTS management to testicular torsion, prostate cancer referral, and male hypogonadism — tackle focused MCQs across the full Men's Health curriculum.
Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual activity. It affects approximately 50% of men aged 40–70 to some degree and is an independent risk marker for cardiovascular disease. Treat ED as a sentinel event and assess cardiovascular risk in all men presenting with it.
Initial Assessment
- Full cardiovascular risk assessment: BP, BMI, fasting glucose, lipid profile, smoking and alcohol history
- Hormonal screen: early morning testosterone (total), SHBG, LH, FSH, prolactin; thyroid function if clinically indicated
- Screen for depression and relationship issues — psychological causes are common, especially in younger men
- Ask about medications: antihypertensives (especially thiazides and non-selective beta-blockers), antidepressants (SSRIs), antipsychotics, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, and antiandrogens all commonly cause ED
- A new or changing diagnosis of ED warrants cardiovascular evaluation before starting treatment — use exercise tolerance as a guide to cardiac risk
ED is a vascular event. A man presenting with new ED should have cardiovascular risk factors addressed. If he can climb two flights of stairs without symptoms, sexual activity and PDE5 inhibitor use are generally considered safe.
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