The study, by the Sax Institute in Sydney, examined hospital admission data for more than 95,000 men aged 45 and over, concluding that the risk of heart disease increased when those men also reported erectile dysfunction. In fact, those men were 60 per cent more likely to suffer heart disease such as angina, heart failure or a heart attack.
The researchers said erectile dysfunction is not a cause of heart disease but described it as a “biomarker” or indicator to doctors that the patient was at risk, confirming the findings of previous research such as the 2004 Massachusetts Male Ageing study.
The Australian study has, however, revealed new evidence of the degree to which erectile dysfunction can pinpoint poor blood flow in the rest of the body. Cardiovascular disease is sometimes described as “silent heart disease” because there are outward signs that anything is wrong with the individual. Any patient who has severe erectile dysfunction is therefore advised to talk frankly about the issue with their GP so any potential heart disease problem can be investigated, too.
While the problem may be an embarrassing one for any man, overcoming any discomfort could actually save your life by identifying a possibly serious heart problem while it can still be treated.
Erectile dysfunction is categorised as mild, moderate or severe. The problem is more likely to affect older men, usually aged 45 and over, but can occur earlier. Any man suffering from any of those categories should consult their GP and have both this problem dealt with and any potential heart disease explored.