Controversies in the diagnosis and management of testosterone deficiency syndrome

Geoffrey I. Hackett

doi:10.1503/cmaj.151208

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Statin and hypogonadism
Dhastagir S Sheriff

Posted on: 22 December 2015

Posted on: (22 December 2015)
Page navigation anchor for Statin and hypogonadism
Statin and hypogonadism
Dhastagir S Sheriff, Professor
Hypogonadism in men is one of the conditions that needs therapeutic attention and intervention. It is reported to be associated with aging, diabetes and statin therapy. Obesity, diabetes and statin therapy are common in Libyan subjects. There are few studies undertaken to study the prevalence, association with diabetes and statin therapy in Libyan subjects. Libyan subjects who attended the Medicine Department, Faculty of...
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Hypogonadism in men is one of the conditions that needs therapeutic attention and intervention. It is reported to be associated with aging, diabetes and statin therapy. Obesity, diabetes and statin therapy are common in Libyan subjects. There are few studies undertaken to study the prevalence, association with diabetes and statin therapy in Libyan subjects. Libyan subjects who attended the Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benghazi University, Libya from 2013-2014 were screened and 100 subjects were taken for the study. They were divided into: * in normal subjects undergoing statin therapy for dyslipidemia * in diabetes * in diabetes with statin therapy * in diabetic hypertensives * in diabetic hypertensives on statin therapy Subjects on statin therapy were grouped further into two categories - those who are undergoing statin therapy less than one year and those more than one year.
**Hypogonadism was defined as low serum total testosterone (<300 ng/dL) and free (<5 ng/dL) testosterone in combination with low libido, ED, osteoporosis or fracture, or 2 or more of the following symptoms: sleep disturbance, depressed mood, lethargy, or diminished physical performance.
In general serum testosterone levels are lowered in diabetes as well as in cases without diabetes on statin therapy. Reductions in serum testosterone levels were more prominent in patients with diabetics without hypertension on statin therapy. In patients with hypertension or hypertensive diabetics did not show marked reduction in serum testosterone levels though the effect is significant in diabetic hypertensives treated with statin for more than a year.
One of the common casues of testosterone deficiency syndrome appears to be associated with statin therapy meant control and reduce serum cholesterol levels. Therefore, there needs to be a judicious combination of drugs prescribed for say hypercholesterolemia, particular in aging patients.
Conflict of Interest:
None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.