Both heart disease and erectile dysfunction involve problems with blood flow. Erection difficulties could indicate underlying heart problems for men, but treatment holds promise to correct the health conditions.
Erectile dysfunction may signal current or future heart problems because inadequate blood supply to the heart also affects blood flow to the penis,
reports Mayo Clinic.
Problems with blood flow may also lead to the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which results in heart disease.
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If men have had no causes for impotence, such as trauma or injury, doctors often screen for signs of heart disease before beginning any treatment.
The Mayo Clinic points out that heart disease and erectile dysfunction share risk factors, which include:
- Alcohol abuse
- Tobacco use
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Low testosterone
- Age
Atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol make up 70 percent of related physical causes of erectile dysfunction,
according to Cleveland Clinic. The disorders affect blood circulation to the penis and the brain, which is necessary for stimulus for sexual performance.
Diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, also causes nerve and artery damage that lead to erectile dysfunction.
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Cleveland Clinic reports that between 35 percent and 50 percent of men with diabetes also have erection difficulties.
One study showed that erectile dysfunction affected 64 percent of men hospitalized for a heart attack and 57 percent of men who underwent bypass surgery.
Erectile dysfunction drugs, such as Viagra, improve blood flow to the penis. The medication also provides a link between heart disease and erectile dysfunction.
NBC News reported that researchers discovered that Viagra helps prevent muscle thickening of the heart and early-stage heart failure.
Researchers analyzed studies of patients between 2004 and 2014 and found that sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Viagra, improved heart function.
Heart disease may not cause impotence in all cases,
said Dr. Emily Banks, who led a study that revealed men with moderate or severe erectile dysfunction were 50 percent more likely to be treated for heart problems. However, “it is widely acknowledged that erectile dysfunction is predominantly the result of underlying cardiovascular disease,” Banks said.
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