In the month we honor the most important men in our lives, there are important heath issues that can impact their lives as they age. Here are some important facts to keep in mind.

Fact 1: More men than women die from heart disease.

A report from the Centers for Disease Control shows white men have the highest risk of dying from heart disease (44 percent), followed by African-American men (42 percent) and Latino men (28 percent) and the risk increases with age.

According to Dwight Reynolds, MD and chief of the cardiovascular section at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, the primary concern for most men is coronary artery disease, or a narrowing of the arteries that lead to the heart. “Blocked or occluded arteries are the cause of almost all heart attacks,” he said. “Stroke is also a major concern.”

Reynolds said the good news is that today we are much better at detecting and treating these blockages. Still, prevention is always the best medicine. Here are some things men should do to protect themselves from heart problems as they age: exercise on a regular basis, reduce fatty foods in the diet, stop smoking, lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure and have both checked regularly.

Fact 2: The TV really is too loud.

According to Michael Dennis, MD of OU Physicians’ Oklahoma Ear Institute, at least 29 million Americans have significant hearing loss, many of them older men. “By significant, we mean enough hearing loss to interfere with their ability to communicate effectively,” Dennis said. “Of that 29 million, approximately 50% are age 55 or over.”
 
Yet, many of these older men don’t realize their hearing is not what it once was. Dennis said that is because hearing loss is generally very gradual. If you suspect a man in your life is suffering from hearing loss, encourage him to see a specialist. Dennis said many people resist going to an audiologist to have their hearing checked because they don’t want to wear big, bulky hearing aides and deal with the squeals of feedback. However, recent improvements in hearing aides have made the devices smaller and more effective than ever.

Fact 3: Vision also changes with age.

According to Prevent Blindness America, the leading causes of blindness will double their impact in the coming years as the nation’s 76 million baby boomers reach older adulthood, diminishing the quality of life for millions.

Many people over the age of forty may require glasses for reading for the first time in their lives. The eye changes with age. “Regular eye exams are as important as regular physicals,” said Robert Leonard II, MD, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and specialist with the Dean McGee Eye Institute. This is especially true for individuals with chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Early detection and treatment can be the key to preventing blindness. A visit to the eye doctor is recommended when these changes in vision occur: unusual trouble adjusting to darkness, difficulty focusing on near or distant objects, unusual sensitivity to light or glare, double vision, a dark spot at the center of vision, seeing spots or ghost-like images, watery or dry eyes, loss of peripheral vision, curtain-like vision loss

Fact 4: Men are not the “stronger sex.”

Despite the image of a man as being the stronger sex when younger, as they age, men tend to be more frail than women. “They live a shorter life span and have particularly poor health if unmarried,” explained Dr. Marie Bernard chair of the Department of Geriatrics at the OU College of Medicine and a member of an emerging medical specialty focused on the health concerns of older people.

Bernard said there are many reasons why older men need to stay physically and mentally active. “Exercise, particularly isometric exercise to rebuild muscle strength and aerobic exercise to help with cardiac reserve, seems to have the potential to decrease the risk of functional decline—the primary manifestation of frailty that is so prevalent in older men,” she said, adding that exercising the brain is also crucial.

According to Bernard, research has also shown that men, who stay involved in an activity they love, fare better. She added it really is never too late to begin caring for one’s health either. She recommends an annual examination, appropriate screening tests, proper immunizations, eating a balanced diet, getting a good night’s rest, and doing something you love to do!