Recent research has suggested that impotence in men could be a warning sign of a future heart attack or stroke. The study found that those who struggle to achieve an erection were twice as likely to suffer from heart attacks, cardiac arrests, sudden cardiac death and fatal or non-fatal strokes.
The research indicated that erectile dysfunction is a significant risk factor for heart disease, regardless of other factors such as cholesterol levels, smoking habits and high blood pressure. Researchers have urged men experiencing erectile dysfunction to seek medical advice immediately.
The findings, published in the journal Circulation, suggest that erectile dysfunction can help doctors assess cardiovascular risk in middle-aged men. The study followed over 1,900 men aged between 60 and 78 over a four-year period.
Last year, the UK officially included erectile dysfunction in the risk-scoring algorithm used by doctors to determine a patient’s 10-year risk of suffering a serious cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke. Erectile dysfunction, defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual intercourse, affects nearly one in five men over the age of 20, according to research.
Cardiovascular disease and erectile dysfunction are both linked with similar health risks, such as obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and a condition characterized by a combination of risk factors like high blood sugar and abdominal fat. Dr. Michael Blaha, Associate Professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the US, noted: “Our results reveal that erectile dysfunction is, in and of itself, a potent predictor of cardiovascular risk.”, reports Gloucestershire Live.
“Our findings suggest that clinicians should perform further targeted screening in men with erectile dysfunction, regardless of other cardiac risk factors and should consider managing any other risk factors – such as high blood pressure or cholesterol – that much more aggressively.”
Recent years have seen increasing evidence of a correlation between erectile dysfunction and heart disease. Nevertheless, this new research provides strong support for the idea that sexual dysfunction could presage greater risk of cardiovascular incidents.
In the span of the four-year study, out of all participants, 115 suffered from events like fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrests, and instances of sudden cardiac deathwith a significantly higher instance rate among men experiencing erectile dysfunction (6.3%) compared to those without (2.6%).
After adjusting their study to account for other risk factors, researchers found the danger was reduced but still significant: men with erectile dysfunction were nearly twice as likely to experience heart attacks or strokes as other men. Dr Blaha remarked that men seeking erectile dysfunction treatment and evaluation should be viewed as a cue to initiate a thorough cardiovascular assessment.
He cautioned men that erectile dysfunction signals an increased threat of heart issues. Furthermore, Dr Blaha said: “The onset of erectile dysfunction should prompt men to seek comprehensive cardiovascular risk evaluation from a preventive cardiologist.”
“It is incredible how many men avoid the doctor and ignore early signs of cardiovascular disease, but present for the first time with a chief complaint of erectile dysfunction. This is a wonderful opportunity to identify otherwise undetected high-risk cases.”