Can high blood pressure cause erectile dysfunction?
Heading into the holiday of love with erectile issues? Is it a fluke, or could high blood pressure be to blame?
In short, it just may be. Increasing amounts of research have found that high blood pressure may cause Erectile Dysfunction (ED). Given the sensitivity behind impaired sexual function and new links to more severe heart issues, this problem has become one of the modern man’s greatest mountains to climb.
To best prevent Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), men should put their “heart” in the right place this season by learning more about the correlation between ED and high blood pressure as well as the current treatment options available.
Understanding High Blood Pressure and Its Effects on Men’s Sexual Performance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) nearly half of adults in the United States suffer from hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Over time, hypertension can damage or clog the blood vessels that carry oxygen to important organs in the body, including the penis. Because ED happens when there’s not enough blood flow to the penis to enable an erection, hypertension could easily be a cause of ED.
High blood pressure’s effects on sexual function are more common with men than they are with women during, and sometimes after, attempting sexual intercourse.
Is erectile dysfunction a sign of heart disease?
The severity between the linkage of ED and heart problems extends further than high blood pressure. In fact, the same process that causes ED may also cause Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), only sooner.
This means that while high blood pressure can cause ED, ED can also, in turn, be a strong indicator of CVD.
Data found through the research study “Erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease” published in the Arab Journal of Urology, furthered this finding, explaining that “ED often precedes CVD and is often present in men with known CVD, leading to the concept that a man with ED and no CVD symptoms is a cardiac or vascular patient until proved otherwise, and a man with known CVD should be routinely asked about his erectile function”
Some medical experts believe ED may often precede heart problems because of atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaques in the arteries of your body. This is because plaque buildup reduces blood flow in the penis, making an erection difficult, and over time, other organs may be affected by this plaque buildup as well.
However, other health experts are now beginning to believe that ED signals potential heart problems such as CVD because of a dysfunction of the inner lining blood vessels, known as endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction causes the inadequate blood supply to the heart and penis, and often results in atherosclerosis.
Although ED does not always indicate an underlying heart problem, the strong ties between ED and potential CVD are causing medical experts to suggest that men with ED who have no obvious cause and who have no symptoms of heart problems be screened for heart disease.
According to the study “A systematic review of the association between erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease” published in European Urology, “From a clinical standpoint, because ED may precede CVD, it can be used as an early marker to identify men at higher risk of CVD events. ED patients at high risk of CVD should undergo detailed cardiologic assessment and receive intensive treatment of risk factors.”
GAINSWave for ED and your heart
As the study “Erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease” goes on to state, “The treatment of ED has a dual purpose, to restore sexual relations and to prevent subsequent CVD events.” This has caused many men to place greater importance on undergoing treatment for ED.
As more have begun seeking out ED treatment to also protect their heart, a safe, effective, drug- and surgery-free option to improve ED and enhance sexual performance has emerged — GAINSWave.
Understanding that poor blood flow, or high blood pressure, is the most common cause of ED, GAINSWave® technology encourages the growth of new blood vessels by using high frequency, low-intensity sound waves to increase blood flow to the penis. This treatment only takes 20 to 30 minutes, comes with no known negative side effects, and is proven to be effective for an average of two to three years. GAINSWave may also improve patients’ response to oral medications and other ED treatments.
Why choose Dr. Underwood for treatment of ED
Board certified by the American Board of Urology, Lauren Underwood, MD received her medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and completed both her urology residency training and general surgery internship at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. Dr. Underwood practices general urology in Houston and Katy, Texas. This includes helping male patients who suffer from ED achieve stronger and more sustainable erections with GAINSWave treatment. Dr. Underwood uses an integrative and collaborative approach to treatment, ensuring every patient a personalized care plan for dealing with ED.