Is Your Love Life an Indication of Medical Heart Complications?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Every year, about 715,000 Americans have a heart attack and 600,000 people die from heart disease. The good news is that heart disease can be prevented and controlled. One of the early warning signs of heart problems is erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction (ED), also known as impotence, is the inability to achieve or sustain an erection. ED affects an estimated 30 million men in the United States. There are several different causes, including depression, low testosterone, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis, or the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, is the most common cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease. It typically first manifests symptoms in the small arteries of the body, such as the penis where the blood flow is diminished faster, making an erection difficult.

Because of this, ED is an alert to look for atherosclerosis in larger arteries supplying blood to your heart and other organs. The risk of heart attack is three- to four hundred percent greater in men with ED.

If you have ED, talk with your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will determine whether you have risk factors of atherosclerosis by checking your blood pressure and performing blood tests. Identifying and successfully treating ED may actually save your life.