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Heart Disease and its Connection to ED

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Numerous studies have shown that you don’t have to get a heart attack to have heart disease. There are many forms of heart disease, and each of them has its different symptoms. Recognizing the symptoms and knowing how to deal with them are a key to maintaining proper health.

But heart disease can also gravitate into something else – erectile dysfunction. And if you have developed one, you know that there is a decent chance you’re going to develop the other.  A 2019 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine states “the CVD risk of ED patients was significantly increased by 43%, CHD was increased by 59%, stroke was increased by 34%, and all-cause mortality was increased by 33%. Older individuals with ED (≥55 years), those with ED of a shorter duration (<7 years), and those with higher rates of diabetes (≥20%) and smoking (≥40%) were more prone to develop CVD. Additionally, severe ED was proven to predict higher CVD and all-cause mortality risk.”*

Do you experience shortness of breath? Do you get chest pains from time to time? Do you have the experience of feeling weak or dizzy from time to time? Do you get sick or nauseous more than you think you should? Do you sweat a lot more than should normally be expected under the circumstances?

All of these things could be signs that you have coronary artery disease. That means you could be a heart attack waiting to happen.

It also means that you could be much more likely to develop ED. It is not hard to imagine why; any time the normal flow of blood is upset, it will affect the process through which a male achieves erection, and by definition, that is exactly what happens in any form of heart disease.

Cholesterol and the foods a man eats can also contribute to a healthy heart and risk of coronary issues.  (what is cholesterol and what foods are healthy)

It is very difficult to treat patients for erectile dysfunction without having a full understanding of all of these principles. Proper testing and diagnosis from a doctor is always recommended when one has cardiovascular or ED symptoms.

*Source: Erectile Dysfunction Predicts Cardiovascular Events as an Independent Risk Factor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Sexual Medicine, July 16, 2019.

High Blood Pressure and its Relationship to ED

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Erectile dysfunction is commonly regarded as a quality-of-life disorder that needs treatment. Currently, it approximately affects as many as 30 million American men5. It has become conclusive that Erectile Dysfunction is caused not only by psychological disorders, but primarily due to the underlying physical conditions which impact the regular blood flow and neural functioning. One of the most important conditions with a primary role in the occurrence of ED is cardiovascular ailments. Thirty percent of hypertensive patients complain of erectile dysfunction. 5 Men do not pay enough attention to this matter, which could not only cause serious sexual dysfunctions, but also impact their overall health and lead to life-threatening situations, which according to sources, accounts for 23% of deaths4. In fact, men with ED are about 38% more likely to have high blood pressure than those without ED, according to a study that examined the medical records of more than 1.9 million men1.  In this article, we will take a closer look at high blood pressure and its relationship to ED.

Can High Blood Pressure Cause ED?

High blood pressure is unsurprisingly a major cause of erection problems. A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that about 49% of men ages 40 to 79 with high blood pressure had erectile dysfunction2. In order to understand the relationship between high blood pressure and ED, we should understand the anatomy of an erection. With correct and sufficient neural stimulation, the brain signals the smooth muscle chambers to relax and arteries to dilate, which allows blood to fill the empty spaces. The pressure of blood flow causes the sheath of tissue around the chambers to exert pressure on veins that retain blood and prevent blood back flow away from the penis. As the blood flow increases, the penis expands and stiffens. High blood pressure prevents the arteries from functioning the way they should during an erection2.

The Relationship between Hypertension and Sex

High Blood Pressure and Blood Flow – Just to be clear, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension can damage your arteries. Hypertension is responsible for making the arteries less flexible and narrow3. If left untreated, not only does it decrease the blood flow to the penile area, it is also capable of causing far more serious medical conditions, such as heart attack or stroke.  It should be very clear that poor circulation and little blood flow to the penile area also means that there will be no sign of a healthy and functioning erection. Erectile dysfunction is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection, and studies target the underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension to be the leading reasons why men struggle with erectile problems.

High Blood Pressure Drugs and Erectile Dysfunction – According to Harvard Special Health Report, one study in the European Heart Journal looked at men newly diagnosed with heart disease, but without ED, who started treatment with the beta-blocker Atenolol (Tenormin). Some of the study participants were told about the sexual side effect of the blood pressure drug, and ED was reported by almost one-third of the participants. In contrast, among those who were not told the drug’s name or its side effects, only 3% said they experienced ED1. According to reports, if you have ED; there is a 1 in 4 chance it could be caused by your meds4.

What Drugs Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

There are two types of hypertension drugs capable of causing ED. Beta blockers and diuretics are known to be medication associated with side-effects which include ED. 

Beta Blockers:

Beta blockers typically affect the same regions of the nervous system in charge of regulating sexual performance and erections. Such class of drugs also restricts blood flow to the penile area, preventing an erection from happening, very similar to the effects of alcohol on erection. A few examples of beta-blockers include3:

  • Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL)
  • Atenolol (Tenormin)
  • Propranolol (Inderal)
  • Carvedilol (Coreg)

Diuretics:

Commonly known as water pills, they take away from the intensity of blood flow to the penis, making the process of achieving an erection more difficult, especially for the elderly. This class of medication is also responsible for decreasing the zinc levels present in the body, which subsequently leads to a decrease in the testosterone levels3. Lowered testosterone levels means less sex-drive and desire for sexual activities, which could also lead to psychological ED. 

How to Lower Your Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is heavily influenced by the dietary habits and activity levels of individuals. You can start improving your blood pressure readings starting today by simply making minor changes to your lifestyle which can have major positive impacts on your health. The human body loses a lot of its ability to cope with unhealthy habits as it ages; therefore, it is important to adjust our lifestyle, weight, and activity levels accordingly. A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that about 49% of men ages 40 to 79 with high blood pressure had erectile dysfunction2.

Diet

What you eat has a direct impact on your blood pressure readings and overall health. By reducing salt intake and fatty foods, eating more fruits and vegetables, and maintaining an alcohol limit you will lower your blood pressure6.

Exercise

Being more active and participating in non-strenuous activities can lower blood pressure by keeping your heart and arteries in great condition, as well as stabilizing your metabolism. A list of appropriate activities would be6: 

    • Cycling
    • Brisk Walking
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Jogging
    • Dancing

Meanwhile, certain activities are also not appropriate due to their intensity and pressure on the heart muscles and blood vessels. Such activities include weight lifting, skydiving, squash, sprinting, and scuba diving.

Addictive Substances

Addictive substances can have massive impacts on your blood pressure and overall health. Smoking, alcohol consumption, caffeine and drug use can directly damage blood vessels and the heart, and cause various non-reversible complications, more severe than hypertension. Addictive substances exert unusual amount of pressure on the heart and cause blood pressure readings to fluctuate greatly. This can impact not only the sex drive of individuals, but also their well-being in general. The best advice is to stop nicotine and other addictive drug use, and limiting alcohol and caffeine intake.

Erectile dysfunction is a common experience, and could be due to various underlying conditions. Most cases of ED are reversible; however the chances of a complete cure depend on the underlying cause7. Hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure is directly involved with impotence, as it can interfere with regular blood flow and a healthy vascular circulation throughout the body. Even if hypertension itself does not cause ED, most of the medication taken by patients can lead to ED. We are capable of controlling our blood pressure to a certain extent by eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and limiting the intake of addictive drugs such as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. Boston Medical Group’s specialists offer professional advice in regards to dealing and treating ED. Feel free to contact us for more information.

Sources:

  1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/blood-pressure-drugs-and-ed-what-you-need-to-know
  2. https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/high-blood-pressure-erectile-dysfunction#1
  3. https://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension-linked-to-erectile-dysfunction#high-blood-pressure-anded
  4. https://www.goodrx.com/blog/medications-that-can-cause-erectile-dysfunction-side-effect/
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22240443
  6. http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Yourlifestyle
  7. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322086

 

Prostate Cancer and its Relationship to ED

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There are certain other medical conditions that could bring about the onset of erectile dysfunction. Understanding the underlying causes and getting the proper treatment for them early could make all the difference in a successful recovery. The more education you have in things like this, the better off you’re going to be.

One of those disorders that could be associated with erectile dysfunction is prostate cancer. The prostate is a small muscular gland near the bladder. It is a male reproductive organ whose main function is to secrete prostate fluid, one of the components of semen. The muscles of this gland also help propel this seminal fluid into the urethra during ejaculation.

Prostate cancer is rather common; for men it is the most common form of cancer that is not involved with the skin. The good news  is that it is treatable, but the bad news is that the treatment itself could be something that eventually leads to erectile dysfunction. There is a close proximity between the prostate gland and the nerves that are involved with the process of achieving an erection.

If you have undergone hormonal therapy, that can have a debilitating effect on the normal erection process. The same can be said about radiation therapy or surgery. Prostate cancer treatments can effect the nearby tissues and nerves, and that is something that is going to put you in danger of developing erectile dysfunction.

“Screening for prostate cancer begins with a blood test called a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. This test measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate. The levels of PSA in the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. The PSA level may also be elevated in other conditions that affect the prostate. Because many factors can affect PSA levels, your doctor is the best person to interpret your PSA test results.”*

*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Sleep Apnea and Erectile Dysfunction

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A correlation has been found between erectile dysfunction and sleep apnea—also known as sleep disordered breathing (SDB).

A past article in Urology Today states:

“Since the majority of physicians who treat ED are unlikely to have expertise in SDB, and similarly those who treat SDB generally have little expertise in diagnosing or treating ED, it is the opinion of the authors that the potential impact each of these conditions may have on the other has been greatly underestimated. This review article attempts to alert physicians of the interaction between two apparently different disorders and give a more unified approach of ED and SDB.”

Vasculogenic, neurogenic, hormonal, and psychogenic pathways as well as the effects of drugs and others factors play important roles in the development of ED and recent studies suggest that ED as a result of sleep apnea might involve the nitric oxide synthase and phosphodiesterase- mediated pathways targeted by tadalafil and other similar products.

Going forward, it’s theorized that the treatment of SDB might also aid in the reversal of erectile dysfunction.

More recent studies conclude “a 95% confidence interval of 0.18–0.71, indicating that in patients without OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), the risk of ED is significantly lower compared with patients with OSA. The available evidence shows that OSA is associated with a higher risk of ED”.*

 

*Source: Association between obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis, International Journal of Impotence Research volume 30, pages 129–140 (2018).

The ED & Low-T Experts