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Cardiovascular
risk factors are associated with Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is the preferred term rather than
the more commonly used term for impotence. Cardiovascular
risk factors are commonly associated with erectile
dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is usually under-reported
by patients. It may have a neuropathic, vascular, psychogenic
or endocrine aetiology. Before initiating treatment,
reversible causes needed to be considered, including
drug-induced ED.
Erectile dysfunction and coronary atherosclerosis (narrowing of the coronary
arteries) are frequent complications of diabetes, and
the association between erectile dysfunction and overt
or symptomatic CAD is well documented. However, many
diabetic patients
have asymptomatic (silent) CAD and are unaware of their
heart disease risk.
This is unfortunate since up to 60% of men with diabetes
can successfully manage ED with the use of prescription
medications including Viagra, Cialis
or Levitra. Other therapies are also available for men
who do not respond to these medications. For more information
about these medications.
The availability of oral medications for ED has raised
questions about their use in men with cardiovascular
disease, not only because the drugs can affect blood
pressure, but also because they permit formerly impotent
men with heart disease to resume sexual activity.
The adverse outcomes of cardiovascular disease, such
as heart attack or death, are due to a complex interplay
of many risk factor conditions that aggravate the
disease and its expression, including a host of psychological
problems like depression and poor self image as well
as some physical factors.
Dr David Gutterman, a professor of medicine and physiology
at the Medical College of Wisconsin, believes a large
number of diabetic men should undergo routine cardiovascular
testing, regardless of whether they have erectile
difficulties.
"Although twice as many patients with ED had
silent coronary artery disease as without ED, the
incidence of coronary artery disease in all patients
with diabetes in the study was about 50 percent,"
he pointed out.
Dr Carmine Gazzaruso, an internal medicine specialist
from Maugeri Foundation Hospital, Pavia, Italy recommended
that a cardiovascular evaluation by a doctor should
be done before starting drug therapy for ED. Considering
the possible association of ED with silent coronary
artery disease, patients should not deny the presence
of ED when it is present. On the contrary, the patient
should inform his physician of his ED. In this way,
he can avail himself of new effective treatments
for ED and also provide his physician another tool
to establish more precisely his global cardiovascular
risk.
This article is for information purpose only. We suggest
you consult your healthcare professional if you have
any questions or concerns.
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