According to a study, men with erectile dysfunction are about twice as likely to have a heart attack. It is important to pay attention to this situation, as any sign that indicates a heart disease can ensure faster and more effective prevention and treatment.

Still treated as taboo by many, “sexual impotence” or erectile dysfunction is more common than you might think. According to the best sexologist in Delhi, about 50% of men over 40 years old have some complaint regarding erections. Although its most obvious consequence occurs during the sexual act, it can be an indication of other problems and should be seen as a warning. With both psychological and organic causes, erectile dysfunction is one of the markers for heart disease and, in some cases, it can precede a heart attack.

With such a condition, the urologist must refer the patient to the cardiologist. The artery that goes to the penis is thinner than the aorta, for example, but if the aorta becomes clogged, less blood reaches the organ and this may already indicate that there are undetected heart injuries. “Therefore, it is important that physicians always assess the individual's condition in a global way”, recommends the cardiologist.

A study by the American Heart Association carried out with 1519 patients in 13 countries showed that there is a relationship between poor erection and atherosclerosis - an artery with cholesterol plaques inside - which can cause heart disease. Research shows that men with erectile dysfunction are about twice as likely to have a heart attack. It is important to pay attention to this situation, as any sign that indicates a heart disease can ensure faster and more effective prevention and treatment.

Erectile Dysfunction is characterized by the permanent inability to obtain a penile erection of sufficient quality for sexual practice. It is a relatively frequent situation in our country and, in India about half of men over 40 years old have some complaint related to the quality of their erections.

According to sexologist in Delhi, erectile dysfunction has several causes, whether physical or emotional. Among the physical or organic are related to the natural process of aging, diabetes, smoking , high blood pressure, low testosterone, neurological diseases, hypothyroidism, drug abuse, prostate cancer treatment (surgery or radiotherapy), among others.

On the other hand, emotional problems, which are increasingly common in our country, are generally related to depression, problems with personal or affective relationships and stressful situations. “It is not difficult for the Urologist to identify the problem, and the diagnosis is suspected based on the symptoms reported by the patient in a medical consultation. Some laboratory and imaging tests can help confirm the diagnosis, in addition to pointing out its probable causes”, explains top sexologist in Delhi.

Erectile Dysfunction – drug and surgical treatment

According to the sexologist doctor in Delhi, the treatment should be performed sequentially. In the first stage, all identified organic causes must be treated or compensated and psychotherapeutic support must be offered. If this is not enough and as long as there are no contraindications, oral medications are offered in a second stage.

Drugs for erectile dysfunction are reputed to be harmful to the heart, which is not scientifically proven. According to Dr. P K Gupta, these drugs can even be taken by patients who have already had a heart attack. The only restriction for patients with heart disease is for those who take drugs that contain nitrate in the formula.

“When these drugs are combined with erection stimulators, one of the side effects is a drop in blood pressure, which can drop to the point where the patient dies. Other than that, there are no risks for any type of patient”, clarifies the cardiologist.

Another important point is to respect the maximum recommended dose. Exceeding this amount causes an amplification of side effects, such as upset stomach, headache, and facial flushing. “There is no reason to take more than indicated, since increasing the dose does not increase the erection”, warns sex specialist in Delhi.

Fortunately, most patients have their problem solved or mitigated with these actions taken in the first two steps. However, a smaller but significant portion of patients need complementary interventions at new stages. “In our sexologist clinic in Delhi, we treat patients with more severe erectile dysfunction, who require more invasive treatments and less known by the general public, such as injections of medication directly into the cavernous bodies or the implantation of penile prostheses”, emphasizes sexologist in Delhi.

Medication injections directly into the cavernous bodies can be used with good results, but with low acceptance by patients. Generally, the abandonment of this form of treatment is high due to the difficulty in performing the self-injection, painful erection and risk of “Priapism” (prolonged erection that can trigger irreversible ED if not treated in time).

When drug strategies do not work, implantation of penile prostheses is indicated. “This is a surgery that has evolved a lot in the last three decades, representing today a safe and efficient way to resolve severe ED, unresponsive to oral treatments or intracavernous drugs”, concludes the sexologist in Delhi.