Problems with potency? Check the heart and blood vessels!
German scientists from the University of Saarland, working under the leadership of Michael Böhm, have found that erectile dysfunction in men with an unhealthy heart is a significant prognostic factor of mortality from any cause, as well as from stroke, heart attack and heart failure. The results of their work were published on March 15 in the preliminary on-line version of the Circulation magazine.
The authors have shown that the presence of erectile dysfunction in the anamnesis of a patient with a disease of the cardiovascular system doubles the risk of his death from any cause. In addition, this factor increases the probability of adverse outcomes of diseases of the cardiovascular system by 1.6 times: it increases the risk of myocardial infarction by 2 times, the risk of hospitalization for heart failure by 1.2 times, the risk of stroke by 1.1 times and the probability of death from cardiovascular diseases by 1.9 times.
They also found that, despite the fact that taking angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers or a combination of these two types of drugs in some cases reduces the severity of cardiovascular symptoms in high-risk patients, drug treatment does not affect the development and course of erectile dysfunction.
The study involved 1,519 men from 13 countries who were simultaneously participants in the ONTARGET and TRANSCEND projects – large international clinical trials of drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. At the beginning of the studies, as well as two years later, or at the end of the observation period, which averaged 5 years, the men filled out specially designed questionnaires, based on the results of which they were divided into groups depending on the presence of erectile dysfunction and its severity (mild, moderate and severe).
ONTARGET participants were randomly divided into groups taking the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril (400 people), angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan (395 people) or a combination of both drugs (381 people). During TRANSCEND, patients with intolerance to angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors were divided into receiving telmisartan (171 people) or placebo (202 people).
Processing of the results showed that at the beginning of the studies, 55% of men already suffered from erectile dysfunction. At the same time, problems with potency were more common in older patients with a history of hypertension, stroke, diabetes or surgical interventions in the lower urinary tract.
During the follow–up period, mortality in the group of patients who had severe erectile dysfunction at the beginning of the studies was 11.3%, and in the group of patients who had mild or no problems with erection at all - only 5.6%. The combined indicators of adverse outcomes of cardiovascular diseases for these groups were 16.2% and 10.3%, respectively. The researchers also note that the risk of death from any cause, as well as the risk of developing adverse outcomes of cardiovascular diseases, gradually increased in parallel with the progression of erectile dysfunction.
According to the authors, the diagnosis of erectile dysfunction indicates individuals whose cardiovascular system is actually worse than the results of routine examination methods show. Often, patients with erectile dysfunction turn to general practitioners or urologists, receive recommendations on taking appropriate medications and get rid of the problem that worries them. However, apparently, such patients should undergo a thorough medical examination in order to determine the real state of the cardiovascular system and identify hidden risk factors for the development of cardiac diseases and stroke.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru Based on ScienceDaily: Erectile Dysfunction Strong Predictor of Death, Cardiovascular Outcomes.
16.03.2010