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August 17th, 2011
10:08 AM ET
Erectile dysfunction: The leading indicator of heart disease in menEditor's note: Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the signs, tests and lifestyle changes that could make cardiac problems a thing of the past on "The Last Heart Attack," Saturday, August 27, 8 and 11 p.m. ET. Dr. Dean Ornish who designed a diet and lifestyle to reverse heart disease will be live with CNNHealth to answer your questions. He will answer your questions Thursday, August 18, at noon EST. Follow #LastHeartAttack on Twitter and Tweet your questions to @CNNhealth or ask them in the comment section here. What's the leading indicator of heart disease for men? It's a surprising answer that affects at least 30 million men in the United States but most men don't talk about, according to the National Institute of Health. The answer is erectile dysfunction, difficulty maintaining an erection sufficient for sex. "I would say that erectile dysfunction is the canary in the coal mine," says Dr. Terry Mason a urologist and chief medical officer at Cook County Hospitals in Chicago. "When men begin to have erectile dysfunction it's a sign that there's more widespread disease and not just for the heart but throughout all the blood vessels in the body." "In the penis, what we learned is those cells, those cells that line the blood vessels – those things we call the endothelial cells, they're more of those per unit volume in the penis than anywhere else in the body. So any disease that causes a problem with those cells, is going to manifest itself in a male particularly, as erectile dysfunction," adds Mason. Understanding the connection between ED and heart disease is especially important because it may help in early diagnosis and treatment before heart problems become serious. When we talk about heart disease, we're usually talking about plaque building up in the blood vessels leading to the heart and limiting the amount of blood able to pass through them. But those blood vessels aren't isolated and they are connected to the rest of the body, and one blood vessel in particular is particularly sensitive to a narrowing that limits blood flow. Researchers found erectile dysfunction to be a strong predictor of death in men with cardiovascular disease, and those men with ED were 1.6 times more likely to suffer from a serious cardiovascular problem such as a heart attack or stroke, according to a 2010 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Age also plays a role. The younger men are, especially those under age 50, it's more likely that erectile dysfunction is a sign of a cardiac issue. In men over age 70, it's much less likely to be a sign of heart disease. For men having issues with ED, they should talk to their doctors about a cardiology workup to determine existing cardiovascular disease and proper treatment. A lifestyle change maybe necessary as well. Eating better, watching cholesterol, stopping smoking, and exercising more may be beneficial. While drugs for erectile dysfunction may cure the initial problem, they do not protect against cardiovascular or other life-threatening illnesses so figuring out the root of the problem first is key.
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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What about ED caused by a man's wife getting fat and nasty...I guess we would call this a false positive.
Agreed!
Considering it's the male with the potential heart disease, he's probably the fat nasty one. I think the message is: eat healthier, exercise and you won't suck in bed anymore.
.....NSFW?
talking to your penis?
Look ladies! no heart disease!
Lol. Well done.
I really pity the men with ED... i'm 43 and never had this problem... must be hell...
You're not 50 yet
You are lucky Nick, mine started @ 44 and never returned, was not till 13 years later found out I had Venous leakage, inability to maintain an erection and Nothing can be done about it. NO HEART Problems, always excercised, not over weight and had a physically demanding job. And a Hot Wife. Yeah, she is still with me!!
Just wait till 50. Its coming sooner than you think.
Willy, did you say your pen*s is leaking? So you can't even use Viagra? I'll take care of your hot wife for you. You can even hang out. No worries & no need for thanks.
Hi Nick, it IS hell but I'm 72. I can get injections that go into the penis which help somewhat but they are SO expensive as to not be a viable option for a pensioner. I have a beautiful partner, the feelings are all there but my ED lets me down. I am a bit overweight so I'll continue working on reducing that and try to get more exercise. Very frustrating!
STRESS, WHAT ABOUT PROLONGED NEGATIVE STRESS, AS A PREDICTOR OF POOR HOLISTIC HEALTH. I wonder if there have ever been cases where ED was reversed once the root-cause was found to be prolonged negative stress, and that cause was REMOVED? aNYBODY HAVE THE ANSWER?
So, what's stressing you?
Having lost someone that I loved last year due to sudden death from a heart attack and the coroners report indicated massive heart disease as the cause. He was 50 years old, a smoker who had been over weight but lost the weight and made life style changes which came too late to save his life. ED was prevalent and he did not want to seek help or advice on that issue. The bottom line is that the article is right on the money.
I am dismayed to see another inappropriate recommendation based on poor-quality information. All this leads to is more unnecessary testing and treatment, leading to unwarranted side effects and expense. Where is the evidence that identifying men with ED and doing a "cardiac workup" improves important outcomes like less heart attacks, strokes, or premature deaths? Of course, when someone has an important problem like ED, it should be treated. And nearly ALL men would likely benefit from some healthy lifestyle changes (exercise, weight management, healthy eating habits, etc) REGARDLESS of whether they have ED or get exposed to a "cardiac workup". We should be using good evidence to put our resources where we know we can make a difference in people's lives.
Unnecessary? Unwarranted? Really? If someone with ED is more likely to die from, and 1.6 times more likely to have a major coronary event, then it seems pretty careless to not want to have an angiogram or similar diagnostic testing if a predictor like this occurs. If the check engine light comes on in your car, do you just keep driving it a pretend it's not there?
What is poor-quality about the evidence? If this is 'new' evidence about a correlation between coronary events and ED, then of course there is probably not yet going to be evidence that testing and treating will lead to positive outcomes – but it stands to reason doesn't it?!
Yes, eating well and exercise is ALWAYS beneficial weather you have disease or not, so it's beside the point.
Dr., had the Cardiac work up, Heart AOK, lost ability to maintain an erection @ 44 and it never returned. I am now 66, but wasn't till age 57, found out (Mayo Clinic) that I had Venous Leakage, of which there is NO CURE, I am a NON Smoker, all my life, drank very little, excercised (still do) and had a physically demanding job, but did NO good, other than my Heart is Healthy. I don't go along with the analogy that ED is a sign of Heart disease or an approaching problem. I figure God Does not like me for some reason, even though I still Love Him.
Poor Willy. Caught between a bum rap and his own pitty party. I don't envy him at all.
@David: it doesn't necessarily "stand to reason". You can have a correlation without testing/treatment being effective – for example, there could be some other underlying cause of both the ED and the coronary event that is not treatable. Suppose that some other cause (genetic defect, for example) is responsible for both symptoms; you would have correlation without effective treatment. So while it may well "stand to reason" that treatment would work, you can't know that without a controlled study. The article also says that the correlation declines with age. A controlled study would tell you when ED should begin to be ignored as a warning (55? 60? 65?). I also find it difficult to believe that ED is "THE leading indicator" of heart disease – are they saying it's a stronger indicator than morbid obesity?
I TOTALY DISAGREE WITH THIS.AS I HAD MY BYEPASS & NEVER FELT REGARDING MY ERECTION
Never felt what?
When you're reading this article, do read beween the lines and remember that ED isn't *always* a sign of cardiovascular issues, it's simply a risk factor (or, put better, there is a correlation.) My husband has had ED since his teens, and because of it has had more heart checks than I can count, all of which have found him to be as healthy as a horse.
So bottom line, guys: If you have ED, don't panic. Reading this artcile doesn't mean a stroke is imminent! Get checked, because that's smart to take care of yourself. Get treatment, because that's kind to take care of your partner. And then life goes on. It's not that much of a deal-breaker if we love you 🙂
You can never replace common sense no matter how you write the article.
I like the common sense part from cando. My hubs has a bad family history with heart issues and he is starting to experience ed issues. I'll be saving these articles for him when he is ready to face his history, having a hard time getting him to accept he needs to take responsibility for his health.
Wasn't Viagra originally developed as a vasodilator for heart disease, but turned out to work selectively better on the penis and lungs than other parts of the body? Seems likely that both ED and some heart disease are just different symptoms of the same problem.
If you wrote an article about life we'd all reach enilgthenemnt.
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I dunno....but when I had a hot girlfriend I had no issues. I married this HOT ONE & she ballooned up and my unit wouldn't work anymore. got rid of her & now it's fine again. GO FIGURE!
Arrousal is 75% mental.
Wow, the kiddy pool isn't even as shallow as that comment....charming...
If you need Viagra you probably need a good stress test from a cardiologist.
.
What does it say about my heart if I need salt peter?
"I had a heart attack but never had problems with MY willy..."
People, it's about probability not absolutes. Just because you smoke doesn't mean you WILL get lung cancer. However, it does mean that your odds of getting it are much higher.
Think of it like playing roulette at a Casino. If you eat well and exercise, you have to hit 00 to get a heart attack. If you smoke, drink and are a fat, lazy turd, then if you hit Red you get a heart attack.
What this article is suggesting that if if you ED before 50, then statistically your odds of having a heart attack are higher because it is POSSIBLE that it is a leading indicator...
I hope this is all bunch of crap! I'm 57, my diet is very good, I'm lean and have no family history of a heart attack. I've been an athlete most of my life (at least last 43 years), moving from sport to sport as I age. Yet, I take the blue pill since about the age of 48. Would that mean I have a cardio problem? I hope this dr is full of crap.
Yeah Right Marv, That ain't happening !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!! When did this newsworthy story first break???? Any good doctor could have written this years ago. Yes, ED is a precursor to such things as CAD. Please be advised folks that plaque does not just deposit in the penis or heart, it is non-selective in where it deposits. If you have a good doctor he may suggest a CIMT just to measure the carotid inti-media deposit, which is a fair indicator of whole body plaque build-up. If this simple test comes back with significant depositing a coronary calcium scan may be in order.
Anyone know if there is a correlation between ED, plaque and elevated blood pressure?
Yup, sorry.
I am 73, and don't have any problem. My grandfather, from my mother side died from a heart attack when I was 5. Four of my uncles (his sons) died from heart attacks. And from my grandmother's side, relatives died also from heart attacks. BUT: never ever we heard about erectile disfunctions. It would have been a record!
My husband had a quadruple bypass two years ago and still has the ED problem. The cardioligist doesn't really say much. But I am concerned that there is still an issue with his arteries? Is there more we should be doing about this?
Read "The China Study" by Dr. T. Colin Campbell.
I didn't have ED until I started taking Flomax because of problems urinating due to an enlarged prostate. This happened in my 60's. The alternative to Flomax is urinary blockage which is an emergency room situation and requires surgery or the kidneys will fail. Women complain about their "plumbing," but we men have our problems too. Aging sucks.
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This is very timely information and well written
Isn't one of the key factors that links ED and heart disease is every day stress? Our modern day lives seem to create more and more stress. sometimes without even knowing. Stress is one of the biggest killers that we face.
Several numerous studies have revealed in which chronic irritation may be the catalyst with regard to cardiovascular disease. For many years doctors have viewed heart disease with regards to cavity enducing plaque …Heart Disease
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Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get and maintain an erection that is sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse.
Erectile dysfunction (ED), also known as impotence, is the inability to achieve or sustain an erection for satisfactory sexual activity. Erectile dysfunction is different from other conditions that interfere with male sexual intercourse, such as lack of sexual desire (decreased libido) and problems with ejaculation and orgasm (ejaculatory dysfunction). This article focuses on the evaluation and treatment of erectile dysfunction.
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Of all conditions affecting today’s male, erectile dysfunction or impotence is the one of the commonest and yet most discreet. No man will ever tell you that he is suffering from erectile dysfunction. Why? A man’s masculinity is usually determined by his success, potency and virility. Erectile dysfunction is thought to be a hindrance to all three since it affects his ability to have children and to perform. Shame and inadequacy overshadows his logic and become his constant companions. Man feels incomplete if he cannot even produce an erection.'
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Psychological impotence is where erection or penetration fails due to thoughts or feelings (psychological reasons) rather than physical impossibility; this is somewhat less frequent but can often be helped.
Erectile dysfunction can have severe psychological consequences as it can be tied to relationship difficulties and masculine self-image generally.
Source: http://erectiledysfunctionprotocol.info
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