Younger men suffering from erectile dysfunction have a doubled risk of developing heart disease, according to scientists from the renowned Mayo Clinic in America. Studying 1,402 men over ten years, they found that the highest risk for developing coronary artery disease was in younger men aged between 40 and 49. Even more alarmingly, the research indicated that men with erectile problems were 80% more likely to develop heart disease.
The Mayo Clinic has previously done two other studies examining the link between heart problems and erectile dysfunction. One predicted that younger men with erectile issues were more likely to develop both conditions, but until now they were not able to study the men over a long period of time.
The study was not conclusive as to why the two conditions are linked. Some doctors have theorised that erectile dysfunction and heart disease are caused by a common disease process. It is possible that the same build up of fat in the heart that blocks the heart’s arteries may block the arteries in the penis first, therefore causing the dysfunction. It has also been suggested that over time, arteries can lose their elasticity which may also contribute to disease, and this would first be noticed in the penis.
Erectile dysfunction is a common disorder and becomes more common as men age. Of men aged over 40 it affects between 5 %and 10% of men, and by the time they reach 70 this has increased to between 40% and 60%. The research indicates that with those who are diagnosed early – in their forties – doctors should consider this an early sign marking the patient as a likely candidate for heart trouble and should therefore take appropriate steps to treat this.