Can ED Be An Early Warning Sign Of Heart Disease?
Most men treat erection problems as a bedroom issue and look for a pill. That's reasonable, and the pills help many men. But ED can also be one of the first visible signs that something is going on with your blood vessels, and that's worth checking alongside it.
Same Blood Vessels, Same Risk Factors
An erection depends on healthy blood flow. The things that damage arteries elsewhere in the body, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and excess weight, can do the same to the arteries that supply the penis. That shared cause is why ED and heart disease so often turn up in the same men.
What The Guidelines Say
The American Urological Association's 2018 erectile dysfunction guideline tells clinicians to let men with ED know that it is a risk marker for underlying cardiovascular disease and other health conditions that may need attention. The Princeton III Consensus, a panel of cardiology and urology experts, recommends that men with ED, particularly younger men, have their cardiovascular risk assessed. A risk marker is a reason to look, not a diagnosis. Plenty of men with ED have healthy hearts, and stress, relationships, other medications, and low testosterone can all play a part.
Checks That Make Sense
The AUA recommends a thorough medical, sexual, and psychosocial evaluation for men with ED. That can include checking blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, and in some men a morning testosterone level; our guide to testosterone lab numbers explains how to read that one. Osirius's Heart Health Panel and Metabolic Health Panel cover cholesterol, ApoB, Lp(a), A1c, and fasting insulin at Quest walk-in labs.
Why It Matters Before ED Pills
The Viagra and Cialis labels note that sex carries some cardiac risk and ask prescribers to consider a man's heart health before starting treatment. They say these medicines generally shouldn't be used by men for whom sexual activity is inadvisable because of their heart. Men who take nitrates for chest pain can't take them at all; our guide to ED pills and other medications covers that and other interactions. If exertion brings on chest pain, pressure, or unusual shortness of breath, tell your provider and get that checked first.
What Helps Both
The AUA guideline also notes that lifestyle changes, such as more exercise, losing excess weight, and quitting smoking, may improve erectile function along with overall health. Treating ED and dealing with blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar aren't either-or choices; they can happen together.
Where To Start
If ED is new for you, especially if you're younger or have any of the risk factors above, treat it as a reason for a checkup as well as a prescription. A licensed provider reviews your history and medications and decides what, if anything, is appropriate.
This guide explains general information and is not medical advice. It doesn't replace a licensed provider reviewing your own history.