“Erectile Dysfunction(ED)” is not only a sex disorder but also an indication of general health of a person. All the more it is a direct indicator of your heart health. Johns Hopkins Prostate Disorders Health Alerts has reviewed two such studies that were conducted recently and has conformed the growing evidences supporting such effects.

A study involving almost 4,000 men with an average age of 57 years has revealed that the erectile dysfunctions cause negative impacts on cardiovascular and diabetic health of a person. About 50% of these people reported such problems that were on ED medications. Researchers believe that this may be due to the negative impacts of blood vessel function. It is clear that the presence of any cardiovascular or diabetic problem could cause erectile dysfunction as well.

The link between ED and cardiovascular problems along with diabetes is more prominent among the people of 40-49 ages. Probability of ED occurrence among 31% of these people is a result of non-medical reasons. In 52% of cases men with cardiovascular disorders and in 73% with diabetes and CVD both had these ED problems. The risk id evident but it was found that it decreases with age.

There was a clear relation in erectile dysfunction and the low glucose levels or the undiagnosed diabetes. It may result in to diabetes any time. Presence of metabolic syndrome can also bring in the erectile dysfunction and initiate a cluster of heart disease risks.

Undiagnosed heart problems may also be triggered by the erectile dysfunction in the same way. Therefore the presence of erectile dysfunction may be an indication of presence of any heart problem. Erectile dysfunction can even be considered as a warning for incoming of unsuspected heart problems.

The ‘prostate cancer prevention trials(PCPT)’ conducted on people above the age of 55 years and above were also conducted for testing the advantages of ‘finasteride’ in preventing prostate cancer with an involvement of more than 19,000 men.

In a separate study which includes analysis of data collected from 4,247 men in the placebo group and who did not have any erectile dysfunction or cardiovascular problem before the PCPT shows that after a period of five years 57% of men had erectile dysfunction development. After seven years this percentage jumped to almost 65%.This follow up for seven years revealed that those who developed erectile dysfunction had 25% more risk of having some kind of cardiovascular disorder compared to those who did not have any ED.

Erectile dysfunction has also been found to be associated with smoking and family history of heart attacks. ED is therefore not just the lifestyle resulting effect. Popular erectile dysfunction treating drugs like Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis have also been found to be linked with heart related side effects.

Common ED drugs bring dilation effects in blood vessels. The vessels that cause erection of the penis are also among these vessels. The dilation may cause sudden decrease in the blood pressure and could cause cardiac problems. In any case, such drugs should never be administered with the angina drugs that have nitrous medications.