Ur ol og y Prescription Testosterone Has Benefits When Prescribed Correctly Before starting testosterone therapy, patients should discuss the reasons for taking the drug with their doctor. Despite recent publicity about a possible link between prescription testosterone and increased risk of heart problems among older men and middle-aged men with a history of heart disease, the factors weighed in determining whether a patient with low testosterone levels should go on the therapy UCLAHEALTH.ORG 1-800-UCLA-MD1 (1-800-825-2631) remain unchanged, according to UCLA urologist Jacob Rajfer, MD. He notes that men considering testosterone treatment should be leery of efforts to promote the drug as a cure-all. “The studies suggesting a possible increased risk of heart problems were not designed to investigate that question, so the association could well be related to other factors,” Dr. Rajfer explains. “Enough studies show the benefits of testosterone, so we don’t feel patients should be taken off the drug based on these recent findings. On the other hand, men shouldn’t be on the therapy unless it is addressing a specific symptom associated with low testosterone levels.” Low testosterone has been linked to symptoms that include diminished sex