Is ED a sign of heart trouble?
Good blood flow is vital for a healthy heart and an erection. That’s why men who suffer from heart disease often experience erectile dysfunction. “The same plumbing—blood vessels—fuels the heart and the penis, so doctors need to know if you’re having difficulty getting an erection,” says Steven Maislos, M.D., a urologist at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in Houston. A 2007 Johns Hopkins University study reported in the American Journal of Medicine found that nine of 10 men troubled by insufficient erections also have one or more cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, or unhealthy habits, including smoking and physical inactivity. Men with diabetes were three times more likely to suffer ED than those without it. Bottom line: Maislos recommends that men get their hearts checked before seeking treatment for ED. One remedy—exercise—helps both.
