The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, learn more

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

continued:

Erectile dysfunction: A sign of heart disease?

Certain men are at increased risk

Besides sharing a common disease process, erectile dysfunction and heart disease also share many risk factors. These risk factors increase the likelihood that your erectile dysfunction could be a sign of underlying atherosclerosis and heart disease:

  • Having diabetes. Men who have diabetes are at especially high risk of erectile dysfunction, heart disease and other problems caused by restricted blood flow.
  • Having high cholesterol. A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis.
  • Being a smoker. Smoking cigarettes raises your risk of developing atherosclerosis. It also directly affects your ability to get an erection.
  • Having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure damages the lining of your arteries and accelerates the process of atherosclerosis.
  • Having a family member with heart disease. It's more likely your erectile dysfunction could be linked to heart disease if you have a first-degree relative such as a sibling or parent who had heart disease at a young age.
  • Your age. The younger you are, the more likely that erectile dysfunction signals a risk of heart disease. Men younger than 50 are at especially high risk. In men older than 70, erectile dysfunction is much less likely to be a sign of heart disease.
  • Being overweight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of both heart disease and erectile dysfunction due to atherosclerosis and other reasons.
  • Being depressed. There's some evidence that depression is associated with an increased chance of having heart problems — and erectile dysfunction.

Treatment for erectile dysfunction caused by heart disease

If your doctor thinks you may be at risk of heart disease, making lifestyle changes such as exercising, changing your diet or losing weight may be enough to help keep your heart healthy — and improve your ability to have an erection. If you have more-serious signs and symptoms of heart disease, you may need further tests or treatment. If you have both erectile dysfunction and heart disease, talk to your doctor about treatment options for erectile dysfunction. If you take certain heart medications, especially nitrates, it is not safe to use many of the medications used to treat erectile dysfunction.

Previous page
(2 of 2)
References
  1. Schwartz BG, et al. Cardiovascular implications of erectile dysfunction. Circulation. 2011;123:e609.
  2. Cunningham GR, et al. Overview of male sexual dysfunction. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 18, 2012.
  3. Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2012. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4557-0738-6..00017-6--sc0020&isbn=978-1-4557-0738-6&sid=1333681740&uniqId=346254080-6#4-u1.0-B978-1-4557-0738-6..00017-6--s0175. Accessed July 18, 2012.
  4. Inman BA, et al. A population-based longitudinal study of erectile dysfunction and future coronary artery disease. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2009;84:108.
  5. Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 6, 2012.
HB00074 Aug. 16, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger