Private MD News

Men with ED are more likely to suffer heart problems

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Individuals suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) may also want to consider getting a cholesterol test, as recent studies have shown a link between ED and coronary artery disease.

Research showed that ED is a common precursor for heart disease, and that men with impotency will often experience heart problems within 3 to 5 years of developing the condition.

Due to this research, doctors around the world are encouraging men with these problems to have their heart health examined to help avoid possibly preventable problems.

Dr Graham Jackson, a cardiologist who participated in an international council that recommended heart testing, said that the process that leads to ED may be the same as the one leading to more serious heart conditions.

"It has been suggested that because the arteries supplying the penis are smaller than those supplying the heart, they will be affected by reduced blood flow - a major cause of ED - before the symptoms of coronary artery disease develop," he said.

The council cited studies that suggest men with ED are up to 60 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack.