Erectile Dysfunction May Increase the Risk of Cardiac Disease

Research which comes of a 2009 Mayo Clinic study shows that men who have erectile dysfunction (ED) between forty to forty-nine of age, are twice more likely to develop heart disease than men who don't have such dysfunction. The same study found men that suffer from erectile dysfunction are eighty percent more likely to experience some form of heart disease. Men with erectile dysfunction who are in their fifties, sixties, and seventies also had increased cardiac complications; however, the connection was not as strong as among men between 40-49 years of age. When considering older men, erectile dysfunction may not be as relevant to later developing heart disease. While study does not show the reasons why these risks seem to exist in younger men, the prevailing theory is erectile dysfunction and cardiac disease may be caused by the same underlying condition in such patients.  Plaque can build up within arteries near the heart and also in the smaller arteries within the penis.  Blood vessels may also because less pliable over time, with the stiffening of the vessels first affecting the penis. 

Erectile Dysfunction is often treated with men's health medicine
such as Sildenafil Citrate (Viagra®) or Tadalafil (Cialis®).  Many patients with ED purchase their medication through an online pharmacy to both keep their condition discreet and make it more affordable.  Doctors will continue to prescribe pharmaceutical therapy to treat erectile dysfunction; however, they may also start to screen patients for future heart disease. The Mayo Clinic findings suggest medical practitioners consider erectile dysfunction as a predictor for heart disease and take preventive measures in such patients. These men  may need to adopt a heart-friendly diet, excercise, and possibly start taking cholesterol medicine.  This study shows doctors they may have  an opportunity to reduce the progress of cardiac disease, which remains  the number one cause of death in the United States.