While the cause of erectile dysfunction (ED) is multifactorial, lead author of the British Society for Sexual Medicine guidelines on ED, Dr Geoff Hackett explained that some of the associated comorbid conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, can be a primary cause of ED. “Similarly, ED could be a useful marker for comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” he said.¹

“Thorough medical screening of patients with ED is advisable, as this could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of comorbid conditions,” advised Dr Hackett. “Conversely, men with conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression may have undiagnosed ED and should be questioned appropriately to ascertain any erectile problems and initiate appropriate treatment,” he said. “Effective treatments for ED are available, including the three phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors sildenafil citrate, tadalafil, and vardenafil HCl.”¹

REFERENCES:

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2. Bauer SR, Breyer BN, Stampfer MJ, Rimm EB, Giovannucci EL, Kenfield SA. Association of Diet With Erectile Dysfunction Among Men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(11):e2021701. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.21701 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2772916?resultClick=24
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5. Vrentzos GE, Paraskevas KI, Mikhailidis DP. Dyslipidemia as a risk factor for erectile dysfunction. Curr Med Chem. 2007;14(16):1765-70. doi: 10.2174/092986707781058931. PMID: 17627514.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17627514/#:~:text=Elevated%20serum%20cholesterol%20and%20reduced,first%20line%20treatment%20for%20ED
6. Moon KH, Park SY, Kim YW. Obesity and Erectile Dysfunction: From Bench to Clinical Implication. World J Mens Health. 2019;37(2):138-147. doi:10.5534/wjmh.180026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479091/
7. Velurajah R, Brunckhorst O, Waqar M, McMullen I, Ahmed K. Erectile dysfunction in patients with anxiety disorders: a systematic review. Int J Impot Res. 2022 Mar;34(2):177-186. doi: 10.1038/s41443-020-00405-4. Epub 2021 Feb 18. PMID: 33603242; PMCID: PMC8964411. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8964411/