Reference
Health Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the conditions, tests and treatments we cover at Hisential - each linked to the service that addresses it.
- Andrology
- The medical sub-specialty concerned with male reproductive and urological health, including hormonal disorders, sexual dysfunction, and male infertility.
- See also: Men's health services
- Andropause
- Age-related decline in testosterone and related hormones in men, sometimes producing fatigue, low libido, and mood changes. Distinct from female menopause but shares some clinical features.
- See also: Testosterone deficiency, Chronic fatigue assessment
- BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)
- Non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that commonly causes urinary frequency, urgency, weak stream, and night-time waking. Prevalence rises sharply after age 50.
- See also: BPH treatment, Prostate cancer screening
- Cardiovascular risk
- Composite probability of heart attack or stroke over a defined period, calculated from blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, smoking, age, and family history.
- See also: Cardiac risk screening, Comprehensive health screening
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
- Persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual activity. Often an early indicator of vascular, metabolic, or hormonal disease - not just a sexual concern.
- See also: ED treatment
- ESWT (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy)
- Non-invasive treatment using acoustic pressure waves to stimulate tissue repair and new blood vessel growth. Used for vascular ED (low-intensity / Li-ESWT) and musculoskeletal sports injuries.
- See also: Shockwave therapy, Sports injury ESWT
- HIV PEP (Post-exposure prophylaxis)
- Short course of antiretroviral medication taken within 72 hours of possible HIV exposure to prevent infection. Most effective when started in the first 24 hours.
- See also: HIV PEP
- HIV PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis)
- Daily or on-demand antiretroviral medication taken by HIV-negative people to prevent HIV acquisition. Reduces risk by over 99% with consistent use.
- See also: HIV PrEP
- HPV (Human papillomavirus)
- Family of viruses including types that cause genital warts and others linked to cancer. Treatable, and largely preventable through vaccination.
- See also: HPV wart removal
- Hypogonadism
- Clinically low testosterone production, confirmed by morning blood samples. Symptoms include low libido, erectile difficulties, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and low mood.
- See also: Testosterone deficiency
- Li-ESWT (Low-intensity ESWT)
- Variant of shockwave therapy used in andrology to treat vascular causes of erectile dysfunction by stimulating angiogenesis in penile tissue.
- See also: ED treatment
- MMC registration
- Statutory licensing of doctors to practise medicine in Malaysia by the Malaysian Medical Council. Every Hisential physician is MMC-registered with public verification links.
- See also: Our doctors
- PDE5 inhibitor
- Class of medication (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) that improves erectile response by relaxing penile blood vessels. First-line pharmacological option for most men with ED.
- See also: ED treatment
- Premature ejaculation (PE)
- Persistent ejaculation occurring sooner than desired during sexual activity, causing distress. Treatable with behavioural techniques, topical anaesthetics, and SSRIs.
- See also: PE treatment
- Prostatitis
- Inflammation of the prostate gland, acute or chronic, bacterial or non-bacterial. Causes pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, and sometimes sexual dysfunction.
- See also: Prostatitis treatment
- PSA (Prostate-specific antigen)
- Protein produced by the prostate, measured in blood as part of prostate cancer screening. Elevated PSA can also indicate BPH or prostatitis - interpretation requires clinical context.
- See also: Prostate cancer screening
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD)
- Infection passed primarily through sexual contact. Common examples include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HPV, HSV, and HIV. Many are curable; all are manageable with diagnosis.
- See also: STD testing, STD treatment
- STD testing window
- Interval between possible exposure and the earliest reliable test result. Ranges from days (gonorrhoea, chlamydia) to weeks (HIV 4th-generation) to months (syphilis).
- See also: STD testing
- TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy)
- Medical replacement of testosterone in men with confirmed clinical hypogonadism, monitored with regular blood work to ensure safety and efficacy.
- See also: Testosterone deficiency
- Personal Health Concierge
- Hisential's named, single point of contact who coordinates appointments, labs, prescriptions, and follow-ups end-to-end - distinct from a call centre or chatbot.
- See also: Personal Health Concierge