title: Androgen deficiency syndrome in older people.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To support nurse practitioners in their encounters with aging male patients with signs and symptoms related to the decline of male sex hormones.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic search was conducted on studies from 2006 to 2013 from the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and related health resources websites. The search terms used included male menopause, andropause, androgen deficiency, testosterone deficiency, late-onset hypo-gonadism, and testosterone replacement therapy. Relevant studies in English were selected for an integrative review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Androgen deficiency syndrome has been overlooked in clinical settings. However, there has been an increase in health needs related to low testosterone levels. A diagnosis should be made carefully, considering other possible causes of the problems as well as the decision to initiate testosterone treatment (TT) and monitoring. In this article, the current awareness of androgen deficiency syndrome, pathophysiology of aging men's sex organ, clinical presentation, differential diagnoses, diagnostic strategy, clinical management, monitoring, and referral plans are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rapidly growing aged population in our society makes androgen deficiency syndrome a growing issue that needs to be understood, adequately diagnosed, and carefully managed by nurse practitioners.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Yaelim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D047649:Andropause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013739:Testosterone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Aging men; androgen deficiency syndrome; testosterone deficiency; testosterone treatment