Health warning signs midlife men should never ignore

Middle-aged males often dismiss health red flags until it’s too late, even though a trip to the GP can prevent risky symptoms from developing into serious problems

Persistent daytime fatigue could indicate obstructive sleep apnoea, which affects around 10% of the Irish population and is much more common in men. Picture: iStock

For the typical middle-aged man, a visit to the doctor is one of life’s great inconveniences, something that has long been a source of vexation to the country’s medical specialists.

“Sadly, a lot of patients come to see me because a friend drops dead,” says Robert Kelly, a consultant cardiologist and lifestyle medicine physician at Beacon Hospital, Dublin. “That’s the trigger for them to go, ‘Oh, my gosh, maybe I need to get myself checked out?’