How common is erectile dysfunction in men with heart problems?
Prepare yourself for a shocking statistic: a recent study in the Journal of Urology by Kloner et al found that 75% of men with chronic heart disease suffer from erectile dysfunction. In this study, 75% of cardiac patients admitted to some difficulty achieving erections. 67% admitted to difficulty maintaining an erection after penetration. Previous studies yielded similar results in post-heart attack and bypass patients. Why do so many men with heart problems have erectile dysfunction? Erectile dysfunction and heart disease share many of the same risk factors, such as high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity, cholesterol problems, and lack of physical activity. Each of these risk factors contributes to permanent or semi-permanent changes in the blood vessels. Healthy blood vessels are necessary, not only to ensure an adequate blood supply to the heart, but also to take join nerves, hormones, and tissues in the complex interactions required for an erection. The other reason men wi
