Erection down: beware infarction!

According to a U.S. study, erectile dysfunction may indicate increased risk of cardiovascular disease. And if sexual failures predicted future failures of heart ... a situation which could provide a new way to prevent the leading cause of mortality.

For several years, cardiovascular diseases have declined. Despite these advances, they remain the leading cause of death in Western societies. Faced with this problem, prevention remains the main weapon, provided they take place before the accident. An original study now provides this opportunity.

Disorder Out of the Shadows
The erectile dysfunction is characterized by the inability to achieve or maintain an erection. Three million men in France were met. Long taboo, these problems are out of the spotlight thanks in part to the development of treatment for most men to redress the balance. In recent months the famous blue pill, the Viagra® is no longer the only men to promise renewed sexual energy: Cialis®, Uprima®, Levitra®, Ixense® ... Many labs have invested in this growing market.

Once baptized impotence, these disorders can be caused by:

Organic: vessel damage, diabetes, certain medications, pelvic injury, degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, etc..
Psychogenic: depression, fatigue, stress or other psychological symptoms.
According to Professor * Pritzker Foundation of the Heart Institute of Minneapolis, 30 to 50% of these failures have originated sexual diseases of blood vessels, including the most common is atherosclerosis. Behind this term are hidden deposits of fatty plaques clogging in part or in whole blood flow. Based on this hypothesis, the researchers wanted to explore the links between these two disorders.

When the erection is important to you!
The team of Prof. Pritzker has scoured the medical history of 50 men who consulted for a solution to drug their erections inadequate and were eventually directed by their doctor to be tested further. Although none of them had had symptoms of cardiovascular disease, 20 of them (40%) were found to suffer from fatty deposits in heart arteries. The diagnosis was made by angiography after a stress test.
Often associated with cholesterol, these deposits cause atherosclerotic plaques can cause chest pain and increase the risk of heart attack. To learn more about this mechanism, you can see our interactive animation "Cholesterol and heart attacks".
Because the blood vessels that supply the penis are narrower than arteries in many other parts of the body, and atherosclerosis may occur in the first instance from erectile dysfunction to appear evident in other locations.

A symptom in the heart of attention
"We do not suggest that cardiovascular disease is behind every problem of erection. Still, a man with a regular sexual activity which saw a significant change in erectile function may show signs of atherosclerosis, a condition in which the arteries become clogged and can no longer provide enough oxygen to the heart muscle, "says Professor Pritzker.

But what is the average time between failures and sex breakdowns of the heart? Pritzker Professor advance some answers: "As we advanced in our questioning of patients, it is not unusual to hear that erectile dysfunction precede the onset of heart disease a year or more. Thus, erection of these outages could be a warning sign of potential heart problems.

Straighten the bar before infarction!
This hypothesis would provide a tremendous opportunity to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. These diseases are respectively the leading cause of mortality and the leading cause of disability among adults in Western societies.
"We now have another opportunity to address cardiovascular disease, to diagnose and provide appropriate prevention and, if necessary, treatment for real men with cardiovascular risk, but who do not see regularly. In our study, only 15 men in 50 had consulted within two years preceding their visit to a treatment for erectile dysfunction, "says Pritzker Professor enthusiastic.
After denouncing for years the taboo of sexual disorders, it seems that the increasing proportion of men crossing the step may be useful in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. And it was now easier to talk about sexual matters as business picks?

 

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