- Men with moderate erectile dysfunction were at 37 per cent higher risk of being admitted with heart disease
- Erectile problems also boosted heart failure admission rates five-fold even for mild conditions
PUBLISHED: 17:03 EST, 29 January 2013 | UPDATED: 03:22 EST, 30 January 2013
Age-old dilemma: A third of men aged 60 to 69, and 60 per cent of those aged over 70 found to have erectile problems in study
Healthy men who have trouble in the bedroom could be at risk of hidden heart disease, a study has found.
The link between erectile dysfunction and heart disease is well known, but the research showed that even in apparently healthy men, slight or moderate erection problems could signal trouble ahead.
The condition increased the risk of heart attacks, heart failure and arterial disease in men aged 45 and over with no previous history of heart conditions.
One expert commenting on the findings said men experiencing any degree of erectile dysfunction should seek urgent medical help.
Dr Rob Grenfell, from the Australian Heart Foundation which funded the study, said: 'These results tell us that every man who is suffering from any degree of erectile dysfunction should be seeking medical assistance as early as possible, and also insisting on a heart health check by their GP at the same time.'
Impotency is very common among middle aged and older men. Previous research has shown that around one in five men aged 40 and over reports moderate to severe erectile dysfunction.
Among the 95,000 men taking part in the new study for the Sax Institute in Sydney, this level of problem was experienced by 16 per cent of those aged 50 to 59, 34 per cent of those aged 60 to 69, and 60 per cent of those aged 70 and over.
Scientists looked at death rates among the participants and the number of hospital admissions for various heart and artery conditions over a period of two to three years.
During this time they recorded almost 8,000 admissions and 2,304 deaths.
Even among men with no previous record of heart disease, increasing severity of erectile dysfunction led to sharp rises in the risk of being hospitalised.
Mild erectile dysfunction was associated with a very small 0.08 per cent increased chance of an admission for ischaemic heart disease, a condition caused by blocked arteries. But this rose to a 37 per cent higher risk for men with moderate ED and 60 per cent for those severely affected.
Erectile problems had a major impact on heart failure admission rates, boosting them five-fold even for mild and moderate conditions.
Study leader Professor Emily Banks, said: 'The risks of future heart disease and premature death increased steadily with severity of erectile dysfunction ... in men with and without a history of cardiovascular disease.
'Rather than causing heart disease, erectile dysfunction is more likely to be a symptom or signal of underlying ‘silent’ heart disease and could in future become a useful marker to help doctors predict the risk of a cardiovascular problem.
'This is a sensitive topic but men shouldn’t suffer in silence; there are many effective treatments, both for erectile dysfunction and for cardiovascular disease.'
The scientists said ED could serve as a useful marker to identify men who should undergo tests to assess their risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study was reported today in the online journal Public Library of Science Medicine. www.vydox.com
