Erectile dysfunction is a concern that affects many men in midlife and later. Erectile dysfunction is not normal at any age. There are several reasons possible reasons for new onset or worsening erectile dysfunction, but the most common revolves around the occlusion of the penile arteries, resulting from plaque deposits sticking to their walls. If this sounds familiar, you’re onto something – this is the exact mechanism by which the coronary arteries also become clogged, causing high blood pressure, angina and eventually heart attack, if left untreated. It’s also important to understand that this is very different from erectile dysfunction caused by prostate cancer treatment or trauma to the genital area, for example. While treatment options may be similar, ED as a risk factor for heart disease should be noted and discussed with your urologist.
Why Might ED Appear Before Heart Disease?
ED tends to occur sooner than peripheral vascular disease or coronary artery disease for a simple reason – the size of the arteries. The arteries that bring bloodflow for an erection are about half the size of the ones that feed the heart, and a third the size of the ones that feed the brain. As a result, they can become blocked more easily and represent a possible early warning sign of heart disease, as plaque is likely to have built up in the peripheral and coronary arteries as well.
All of us form plaque deposits in the arteries as we age naturally, but this process is accelerated by poor diet, obesity, smoking and lack of exercise to name a few.
Is a Heart Issue Imminent if I Have an ED?
This answerdepends on your general heart health, but for otherwise healthy patients, there is not likely to be a significantly higher cardiovascular risk in the early stages of ED. That said, if you have significant risks of heart disease, you should be seen by a cardiologist, and visiting an experienced urologist like those at Georgia Urology at the first signs of ED can be helpful for that determination. On the other hand, using an online ED medication portal, the likes of which have proliferated over the past several years, may not take your entire medical history into account or offer recommendations for care beyond the medication they sell.
As ED worsens, more significant warning signs of arterial occlusion can appear in the limbs – the arms and legs. Peripheral arteries are larger than the penile arteries but smaller than those that feed the heart, thus may show symptoms sooner. If you notice pain in your limbs when exercising that goes away upon resting, shiny, cold skin, and hair loss, especially on the legs, you may need to be checked for peripheral artery disease or PAD. This simple test requires a noninvasive, rapid Ankle-Brachial Index or ABI test for a diagnosis.
The Bottom Line
While it’s unlikely that you are staring down a major cardiovascular event if you are otherwise healthy and low risk, don’t ignore the possible ramifications of this condition. If you have ED that progresses slowly (which usually suggests arterial occlusion), you may wish to speak to your urologist and then cardiologist to get a treatment plan, learn more about your cardiovascular risks and whether you should seek further testing.
Understand that in virtually every man, erectile dysfunction is treatable, and the severity of the ED generally dictates the invasiveness of the solution. The first step is to speak to a trusted urologist like those at our practice and understand your options. We’re here to help you restore your intimate life.
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