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<p>Sunday was Fathers&#8217; Day, but it was also the end of International Men&#8217;s Health Week, which has been held annually since 2002 to spread awareness of men&#8217;s health issues and to encourage the development of policies and services to address those issues.</p><p>The two leading causes of death for men &#8212; and women &#8212; in the United States are heart disease and cancer, in that order.</p><p>Heart disease includes those conditions related to plaque buildup in the arteries &#8212; such as coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attack and stroke &#8212; heart rhythm disorders, congenital heart defects, and heart failure, defined as the heart&#8217;s inability to adequately pump blood to the rest of the body.</p><p>Symptoms of coronary artery disease include chest pain, also known as angina, shortness of breath and heart attack, which comes with its own set of symptoms &#8212; chest pressure, pain in the shoulder or arm, shortness of breath and sweating.</p><p>Heart rhythm disorders do not always present with symptoms, but when they do, those signs may include fluttering in the chest, racing heartbeat, slow heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness or dizziness, sweating, and fainting or near fainting. </p><p>Heart failure can manifest as shortness of breath during exertion or while lying down; fatigue and weakness; swelling in the legs, ankles, feet and abdomen; rapid or irregular heartbeat; reduced ability to exercise, persistent cough or wheezing with white or blood-speckled phlegm; increased need to urinate at night; lack of appetite and nausea; and difficulty concentrating.</p><p>That may seem like a lot to digest, but many of these symptoms overlap, and understanding what they indicate is vital. If you&#8217;re seeing any of these signs regularly, you might be suffering from heart disease and should consult your physician or care team for an evaluation.</p><p>But the real question is how can we stop heart disease before we get to the point where medical or surgical intervention is necessary? And the answer is through healthy lifestyle choices.</p><p>Understanding your risk; keeping a diet high in fruits, vegetables, plant proteins and fish; exercising daily; maintaining a healthy weight; avoiding or quitting smoking; managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes; taking medication as prescribed; and working closely with your care team can help prevent heart disease.</p><p><strong>Prostate cancer </strong></p><p>While lung and bronchus cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women, prostate cancer is the second deadliest among American men.</p><p>According to the American Cancer Society, problems urinating; blood in the urine or semen; erectile dysfunction; pain in the hips, back or chest; and weakness or numbness in the legs or feet can be signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.</p><p>Early detection is possible by screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) with a simple blood test or by digital rectal exam. Both tests, if yielding an abnormal result, can lead to detection of prostate cancer at a more treatable stage than if it weren&#8217;t detected until later in its growth.</p><p>Screening does have risks. Doctors aren&#8217;t always able to tell if prostate cancer is dangerous, so some cancers that would never lead to symptom or death will wind up leading to treatment because of that uncertainty. False positives can lead to anxiety and unnecessary procedures, and false-negatives can lead to lack of treatment when treatment is needed. So, it&#8217;s important to work closely with your care team to understand both the risks and rewards of prostate-cancer screening.</p><p>Prostate cancer can be treated through surgery, radiation therapy, cryotherapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy. Each individual case requires a specific plan based on the stage of cancer and the patient&#8217;s particular status, so working with your cancer care team will ensure the best plan for treatment.</p><p>But once again, understanding your risk, and the elements of your lifestyle that can contribute to or prevent the development of prostate cancer, is preferable over having to treat it.</p><p>Risk factors such as age, cultural background, geographical location, family history and inherited mutations cannot be changed, but controllable risk factors for prostate cancer include diet &#8212; lots of fruits and vegetables and lowered consumption of red meat and high-fat dairy can lower risk &#8212; obesity, tobacco use, chemical exposure, and inflammation of the prostate. Engaging in physical activity daily can also help.</p><p>It was great spending Father&#8217;s Day with my daughter Kate and her husband Andrew; he&#8217;s a terrific daddy to Rowan and Eve. I hope all the other dads had as much fun on their special day!</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Alfred Casale</p><p>To Your Health</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>.Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is associate chief medical officer for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart Institute. Readers may write to him via ae@www.timesleader.com. For a free heart risk assessment, visit geisinger.org/heartrisk.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Focus on awareness, prevention for Men’s Health Week