Module III: Men’s and Women’s Health Discussion
The pharmacology of men’s and women’s health is a dynamic and evolving field that requires a nuanced understanding of gender-specific physiological and pathological differences. Clinicians must integrate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles with individual patient characteristics to optimize therapeutic outcomes (prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various health issues) and enhance the quality of life for both men and women. .
Understanding the pharmacology of gender-specific health involves a comprehensive look at hormonal influences, reproductive health, and the management of gender-specific diseases.
Consider the following scenarios:
1) LW is a 32 year old female patient who comes to your medical clinic for primary care. She has been on hormonal contraceptives for years, although she’s just been married and has stopped her pills in hopes of becoming pregnant. Her PMHx includes obesity, HTN (diagnosed 3 years ago), familial hypercholesterolemia, and pre-diabetes. Her current medications are as follows: Metformin 1000 mg PO twice daily, Lisinopril 10 mg PO daily, rosuvastatin 5 mg PO daily, and a multivitamin.
2) Jane Doe is a 52-year-old woman who presents to her primary care physician with complaints of menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Her last menstrual period was over a year ago. Jane has a history of mild hypertension, which is well-controlled with lifestyle modifications. She has no significant past medical history and is not currently taking any medications., Jane is seeking advice on managing her menopausal symptoms, and is particularly interested in understanding the benefits and risks associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), topical estrogen therapies and non-hormonal pharmacological options.
3) GD is an 82-year-old patient is taking 2 mg of terazosin for BPH who comes in complaining of dizziness, generalized muscle weakness and persistent LUTS. He also inquires if the terazosin will prevent “his prostate from getting any bigger and the disease from progressing” as he recently found out his PSA was elevated and prostate is 40cc in size (nl ~ 20 to 30cc).
Choosing two of the three scenarios above, please discuss:
- What was the process you went through to assess the current medications?,
- What pharmacotherapy plan (changes to medications monitoring and follow-up) would you recommend to maximize therapeutic outcomes and enhance the patient’s quality of life?,
- How should you educate these patients regarding their conditions and medications?,