ED and Heart Disease

In recent years, doctors have started to draw a connection between ED and heart disease. As it turns out, the fact that you can't get hard may be the result of your heart working too hard. Read on to learn more about the connection and risk factors for both conditions.

About Erectile Dysfunction

Almost everyone who has a penis will experience some erectile dysfunction from time to time. If you've had sex, you may already have had an experience where you couldn't get it up at the right time.

However, the occasional problem getting an erection is different than erectile dysfunction.

Erectile Dysfunction is when you have trouble achieving an erection more than 50 percent of the time. If you have problems less than 20 percent of the time, you don't have anything to worry about.

There can be a number of things that cause erectile dysfunction, including stress, alcohol or tobacco use, and certain medications.

About Heart Disease

There are a number of conditions that affect your heart that can fall under the umbrella of heart disease. This can include coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, congenital heart defects, and more.

And while cardiovascular disease affects specifically the blood vessels that feed your heart, conditions that affect the actual heart muscle or rhythms can also fall under the heart disease category.

Cardiovascular disease refers to blockages in the vessels going to the heart muscle; these cause strokes, heart attacks, and chest pain. Heart arrhythmia happen when the rhythm of the heartbeat gets disturbed for one reason or another. Congenital heart defects are problems in the heart that you are born with and that can lead to shortness of breath or easy fatigue later in life.

How Are They Linked?

Some recent studies have suggested that there is a link between heart disease and erectile dysfunction. One of the three conditions that must happen for a person with a penis to get an erection is adequate blood flow to the penis.

The other two are fully functioning nerves in the penis and a stimulus from the brain.

It would make sense that if your heart is not functioning properly, you wouldn't be able to get enough blood to the penis. One common effect of heart disease is a dysfunction of the inner lining of the blood vessels.

This dysfunction means your heart can't get enough blood to your penis, and you can't get hard.

How Strong Is the Connection?

Recent studies have linked erectile dysfunction and heart disease more firmly. One study talked to nearly 2,000 men between the ages of 60 and 78. The study found that participants who had erectile dysfunction were twice as likely to have a heart attack or similar cardiac emergency.

Erectile dysfunction can affect those as young as twenty, so there are certainly other risk factors that came into play in that study. However, if you do have diagnosed erectile dysfunction, it's not a bad idea to talk to your doctor about your heart health.

Vascular disease accounts for about 50 to 70 percent of physical-related causes of erectile dysfunction.

When to Be Worried

Just because you may have had a problem in the bedroom doesn't mean you need to see your doctor immediately and get your heart checked. (Although getting regular health exams isn't a bad idea; remember, an ounce of prevention and a pound of cure and all that.)

The main question you want to ask yourself is if you are having other symptoms of heart disease.

You should also consider if there are other factors that may be causing your erectile dysfunction. Stress, injury to the penis, certain medications, chronic illness, and more can all contribute to erectile dysfunction.

But if none of these factors apply to you and your chest has been aching lately, it might be time to give your doctor a call.

What to Do About It

In general, your doctor is going to want to get to your penis by going through your heart. In other words, they'll treat the heart disease (if you have it) and focus on improving your erection ability that way. One way you can help with this is to make some lifestyle changes.

There are a number of risk factors that apply to both erectile dysfunction and heart disease, so eliminating those can help both problems. The usual advice applies: focus on a healthy diet, stay active, don't smoke, and try to maintain a healthy weight. Your doctor may also want to put you on a medication to improve your heart disease or give you a little help in the erection department.

Risk Factors for ED and Heart Disease

As we mentioned, there are a number of factors that can put you at greater risk for both erectile dysfunction and heart disease. Among these are tobacco and alcohol use, age, and low testosterone.

It is important to note that while we included age in this list, erectile dysfunction is not a guaranteed part of getting older; it may just take a little more stimulation to get your penis on board.

Obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes are all risk factors for both ED and heart disease. Maintaining a healthy weight is important if you're dealing with either condition.

Again, talk to your doctor about how to create a healthy lifestyle that will minimize your risk factors.

Get Treatment

Erectile dysfunction is no fun, but heart disease is definitely worse. Knowing about the link between ED and heart disease is important; it could even save your life. If you think you may be at risk for heart disease, talk to your doctor.

Once you and your doctor have worked out a treatment plan, make sure you get the right meds for the best price. At Canada Wide Pharmacy, we provide low prices on drugs that we ship directly to your front door.

Contact us today to get your prescription in and your erection up.