Erectile Dysfunction May Just Be The Beginning

According to a recent study conducted, sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction on men ma also signal other health problems such as heart disease. In fact, ED can prodict cardiovascular troubles that include chest pain, heart attack and stroke, which may ultimately lead to death of men, according to two studies published in the Journal od the American College of Cardiology.

This news came after discovering that ED is a side effect of diabetes, adding insult to injury of about 80 per cent of men suffering the disease.

That is why professionals like Dr. Peter C.Y. Tong of the Prince Wales Hospital at the Chinese University of Hong Kong warn men with type 3 diabetes not to ingnore the warning and have themselves checked even if it's embarrassing. "You must take action now to improve upone these modifiable risk factors," Dr. Tong said in a email.

Men who have difficulty achieving or maintaining erections should tell their doctors without delay so they can be evaluated for further cardiac risk. Interventions might include changes in diet, exercise or medication, experts said.

Of 118 men with erectile dysfunction, 30, or 25 percent, reported a serious cardiac problem over seven years. That compared to 19 of 173 men without impotence, or about 11 percent. Erectile dysfunction is a good predictor of heart disease or stroke because both conditions occur when certain arteries fail to expand fully in response to stimulus. Because the arteries in the penis are smaller than those in the heart, for instance, the condition might show up sooner.