Why Asking About Sexual Life Before Starting Antihypertensive Drugs
Management of hypertension should take into account, especially in elderly, the possible negative impact of antihypertensive drugs on the patient’s quality of life, the deterioration of which may reduce treatment compliance . Although ED has a high prevalence in the hypertensive population, sexual questions are not frequently asked during general practitioners consultations . Many hypertensive men do not recognize that they have ED and only a minority of GP considers ED or other sexual issues for the treatment of hypertension as either a possible adverse outcome or as a factor to consider in treatment decision .
Knowledge about sexuality seems important as men and women increased their life expectance and want to keep quality of life during aging. Erectile function preservation is essential for sexually active man while having a lower weight for other who has no intercourses. A sexual evaluation in GP visits could detect ED earlier and also help in risk factors therapy customization, avoiding certain drug classes that could disturb sexuality . Besides high prevalence of ED among hypertensive individuals, possible association to ED severity and important aspects in therapeutic compliance improvement justify the relevance of a brief sexual anamnesis in one of the first visits inside GP or cardiologists offices . Evidences demonstrate that the successful treatment of ED is associated with significant improvements in overall physical and emotional well-being .
How To Treat High Blood Pressure Without Ruining Your Sex Life
Sophia Antipolis, France 28 Aug 2020: Men with untreated high blood pressure have poorer penile blood flow than those with normal blood pressure, according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2020.1 The differences disappeared with blood pressure medication. The results provide reassurance to men concerned about the effects of blood pressure-lowering medications.
Hypertension affects more than one billion people worldwide and is the leading cause of premature death.2 A healthy lifestyle is advised, including salt restriction, alcohol moderation, exercise, weight control, and smoking cessation. Most patients also require drug treatment, which is linked to reduced risks of death, stroke, and heart disease but around half of patients do not take their pills. Sexual dysfunction is one reason why patients stop medication.
However, previous studies have shown that erectile dysfunction is more common in treated, than untreated, men with high blood pressure. And certain antihypertensive drugs notably diuretics and beta blockers have been linked with deterioration in sexual function. This study examined the association between blood pressure level and penile blood flow, and whether blood pressure-lowering medication had an effect on the relationship.
Professor Vlachopoulos concluded: Our study shows that high blood pressure can be treated without causing erectile dysfunction. Patients and doctors need to have open discussions to find the best treatment option.
Ed And Cardiovascular Risk
Several traditional risk factors were related to ED in medical literature with some evidences coming from well designed epidemiological trials. Age seems to be the clearest risk factor with strong association with the presence and severity of ED . After adjusting for age, the correlation between ED and modifiable risk factorshypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, sedentary, and smokingremained significant . The increase of ED’s prevalence with aging is followed by atherosclerotic lesions in vascular tree . Most men with hypothetic vasculogenic ED present at least one traditional cardiovascular risk factor . These evidences allowed the consideration of ED as a clinical manifestation of a functional or structural abnormality in penile circulation as component of a systemic vasculopathy .
Erection is a complex psiconeurovascular process and involves several system interactions that converge to an increase in hypogastrian-penian blood flow and subsequent activation of veno-occlusive mechanism of corpus cavernosum . It is well known that the blood increment towards cavernous tissues necessary for a rigid erection is huge and even small hemodynamic disturbances could produce sexual dysfunction . So, traditional risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia could contribute for ED development or worsening even in situations where psychological etiology seems more likely.
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High Blood Pressure Medications And Ed
One of the best ways that you can help get high blood pressure under control fast is by taking a blood pressure medication and using it as prescribed by your doctor.
The goal with treatment is to quickly regulate your blood pressure to help prevent any vascular or organ damage from the elevated pressure. Even if you feel the same with or without treatment, know that you are helping to prevent damage in the long term, and compliance is important. However, it is wise to also pair high blood pressure medications with strategies like healthy eating and regular exercise to get blood pressure levels in check.
We know that reducing your blood pressure to normal levels is a good way to help avoid or reduce erectile vessel damage over time. However, some blood pressure medications may come along with some erectile issues of their own. While blood pressure treatment is very important and should not be avoided due to erection concerns, if this is an issue for you, there may be certain classes of blood pressure medications that are a better fit for you than others.
High blood pressure medication classes like some beta-blockers and diuretics may deliver additional challenges when ED is concerned. You may be able to speak with your doctor about sticking with or switching to other blood pressure medication classes if you have noticed a negative influence of these medications as it affects your ED.
Is It Safe To Take Erectile Dysfunction Meds With Blood Pressure Medication
High blood pressure and erectile dysfunction are closely linked. Not only is high blood pressure one of the leading causes of erectile dysfunction, but medications meant to treat one condition can adversely impact the other. For this reason, it is important that patients with hypertension consult their physician regarding the safest and most appropriate ED treatment option for them. At Kasraeian Urology, board-certified Jacksonville, FL urologists Dr. Ahmad Kasraeian and Dr. Ali Kasraeian offer a number of effective solutions for safely treating erectile dysfunction in men with hypertension. Keep reading to learn more about which blood pressure drugs may interact with ED medications, and find out what alternative treatment options you may have.
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The Link Between Ed And Hypertension
About 80% of the time, erectile dysfunction has a physical cause with the most common cause being hypertension. In fact, men with chronic high blood pressure are twice as likely to have ED. And since ED is underreported, researchers estimate the numbers could be much higher.
In addition, your risk of having low testosterone is nearly two times higher if you have hypertension. While the relationship between hypertension and low testosterone is still being investigated, having low testosterone can contribute to erectile problems and low libido.
Blood Pressure Drugs Less Likely To Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Some families of high blood pressure drugs rarely cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect. They are:
- Calcium channel blockers
ACE inhibitors — such as captopril , benazepril , and lisinopril — widen blood vessels and increase blood flow. Erectile dysfunction is rarely a side effect, occurring in less than 1% of patients. There are several different drugs in this category. This seems to be true of all of them.
There are also drugs known as calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine , diltiazem , or verapamil . As a group, they rarely cause erectile dysfunction. But erection problems may be less common with some individual drugs within that group than with others. Your doctor can tell you which.
In general, alpha-blockers do not often cause erection problems either. In one study, a small number of men actually had a 100% improvement in their erectile dysfunction after 2 years on the alpha-blocker doxazosin .
Drugs known as ARBs are not only unlikely to cause erection problems, but they may improve sexual function in men with high blood pressure.
A study published in the American Journal of the Medical Sciences looked at the drug Cozaar, an ARB. At first, just 7% of men and women in the study said they felt sexually satisfied overall. After 12 weeks of Cozaar, about 58% said they were sexually satisfied. The percentage of men who reported having erectile dysfunction dropped from 75% to 12%.
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Ways To Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally
Some small changes in your lifestyle can greatly impact your blood pressure levels and overall health and well-being. Implementing these tips will also support your healthy sex life.
Quit Smoking: Smoking and Obesity are the two most common risk factors for high blood pressure. If you are a smoker, it’s time to let go of the habit.
Lose Weight: Obesity is one of the factors that cause high blood pressure. Exercise lessens the risk of heart disease and helps in maintaining a healthy sex drive.
Consume a Balanced Diet: Limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates in your diet will lower your blood pressure.
Reduce Sodium in Your Diet: Lessening the amount of salt intake in your diet, and increasing potassium will lower your blood pressure.
To reduce salt intake, The National Institutes of Health have suggested the DASH diet to lower your salt intake. The DASH diet focuses on:
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Foods with fewer amounts of Sodium
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Fruits and vegetables
Blood Pressure Medications And Ed
While hypertension can cause erectile dysfunction, some blood pressure drugs can also cause EDfurther complicating matters.
Healthcare providers commonly use beta-blockers to treat high blood pressure, especially for people with heart disease or heart failure. However, some studies have shown that erectile dysfunction can be a side effect of the older generation beta-blockers, like propranolol, atenolol, and metoprolol. This effect may be due to their impact on the nerves affecting sex drive and erections .
Thiazide diuretics are another popular type of blood pressure treatment that can cause erection problems.
But not all blood pressure meds have this effect. Newer generation beta-blockers, like nebivolol, may treat your blood pressure and improve your erectile dysfunction . So, all is not lost if you have hypertension and ED. There are treatments available to help you achieve a satisfying sex life.
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Can Blood Pressure Medications Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Certain types of blood pressure medications are not safe to mix with other drugs, such as pills for erectile dysfunction. The best way to find out about side effects and interactions of these drugs is to talk to a doctor.
Even if high blood pressure medication is causing erectile dysfunction, there may be options to help. Washington University urologists offer a range of medical and minimally invasive treatments for erectile dysfunction.
How Many Men With High Blood Pressure Also Have Erectile Dysfunction
When looking at populations of men with and without high blood pressure, it has been found that those with hypertension had about twice the prevalence of erectile dysfunction over those that maintain their blood pressure in a normal range.
One large-scale registry of men with high-risk high blood pressure found that 71% reported erectile dysfunction, although, for the majority, the severity of the ED was mild or moderate.
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Does High Blood Pressure Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Yes, high blood pressure causes erectile dysfunction for some men. But there is more to it than that. Hypertension causes all of your bodys organs and tissues to slow down and additional strain to perform every day functions. Roughly 30% of men with hypertension also experience ED. Hypertension is both directly and indirectly responsible for these issues.
How Does High Blood Pressure Cause Erectile Dysfunction
High blood pressure puts stress on all of your bodys organs, making it a medical condition that everyone should pay attention to. Its also closely linked to sexual dysfunction and erection issues. In total, according to an article published in the journal, Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension, about 30% of men with hypertension also have some degree of erectile dysfunction.
There are direct and indirect side effects of high blood pressure on erection quality and consistency. Before we get into the ways hypertension can indirectly affect erections, lets look at the direct effects that it has on ED.
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High Blood Pressure And Its Relationship To Ed
Erectile dysfunction is commonly regarded as a quality-of-life disorder that needs treatment. Currently, it approximately affects as many as 30 million American men5. It has become conclusive that Erectile Dysfunction is caused not only by psychological disorders, but primarily due to the underlying physical conditions which impact the regular blood flow and neural functioning. One of the most important conditions with a primary role in the occurrence of ED is cardiovascular ailments. Thirty percent of hypertensive patients complain of erectile dysfunction. 5 Men do not pay enough attention to this matter, which could not only cause serious sexual dysfunctions, but also impact their overall health and lead to life-threatening situations, which according to sources, accounts for 23% of deaths4.In fact, men with ED are about 38% more likely to have high blood pressure than those without ED, according to a study that examined the medical records of more than 1.9 million men1. In this article, we will take a closer look at high blood pressure and its relationship to ED.
Can High Blood Pressure Cause ED?
The Relationship between Hypertension and Sex
What Drugs Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
There are two types of hypertension drugs capable of causing ED. Beta blockers and diuretics are known to be medication associated with side-effects which include ED.
Beta Blockers:
Diuretics:
How to Lower Your Blood Pressure
Diet
Exercise
Addictive Substances
Symptoms And Diagnosis Of Ed
The primary symptom of ED is difficulty getting and maintaining an erection. Developing erectile dysfunction leads to stroke, heart attacks, and circulatory leg problems.
To diagnose the two conditions, your urologist or GP will inquire about your health history, perform physical examinations, or request lab tests.
Specialized tests might be necessary to create a plan that balances your high blood pressure and ED. This includes a routine blood check on hormone and blood sugar levels.
In more complex situations, ultrasonography, X-rays, and other imaging can check blood flow and previous trauma, like cancer.
It is essential to disclose any underlying conditions or drug or smoking habits to your medical practitioner. Be as transparent as possible, including any stressors, so that they can provide suitable treatment.
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Treating Men With High Blood Pressure And Erectile Dysfunction
The good news is that many high blood pressure and ED treatments are compatible.
A few options include:
- PDE5 inhibitors
- Hormone replacement
The first step to treating ED is maintaining vascular and heart health. If high blood pressure is the root cause, making healthier choices and adding natural supplements may be all thats needed.
On the other hand, if your doctor determines medication is to blame for the issue, your dosage may be reduced, or alternatives can be recommended. However, do not stop taking blood pressure medication without consulting a professional.
How High Blood Pressure Causes Erectile Dysfunction
There are two main mechanisms involved in long-standing hypertension that lead to erectile dysfunction. As already mentioned, long-standing hypertension leads to vascular damage. When uncontrolled hypertension persists over a long time, penile blood vessels are damaged and the erection cannot occur. High blood pressure can also damage the vessels in the heart and the brain. A similar process affects men with diabetes and erectile dysfunction. Men who have diabetes and high blood pressure tend to have higher chances of experiencing problems with weak erections.
The second mechanism that leads to erectile dysfunction in hypertension involves the use of anti-hypertensive drugs. These drugs are necessary but can have sexual side effects. Thiazide diuretics can cause erectile dysfunction. Beta-blockers can also contribute to erectile dysfunction.
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High Blood Pressure And Erectile Dysfunction
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the most common medical conditions, and affects nearly one in every four American adults. It is also very closely linked with erectile dysfunction as blood pressure and blood flow are both very important with developing and maintaining erections.
Bringing your blood pressure into a more healthy and optimal range is not only good for your overall health, but is also a good way to reduce the risk of experiencing erection issues and improving your sexual health.
Can High Blood Pressure Medications Cause Erectile Dysfunction
At this point, we all should be acutely aware of the impacts high blood pressure can have on our lives.
For decades men have been warned of the potential health disasters caused by hypertension, including the risk of a heart attack or stroke, aneurysms, or even dementia caused by narrowed or blocked arteries.
However, one additional complication that isnt necessarily as widely known is erectile dysfunction.
Thats right, hypertension can also manifest itself in the bedroom. There is actually a close relationship between high blood pressure and EDso close in fact, that the latter can be one of the first signs of the former. Men with high blood pressure are actually up to twice as likely to experience ED as those without.
The reason why is simple human biology erections require easy blood flow. Hypertension doesnt allow the walls of your arteries to relax as they should, preventing the required amount of blood flow to achieve and maintain a firm erection.
Unfortunately, the bad news doesnt end there. Certain medications to treat hypertension have also been linked to ED. In fact, medications could be the culprit behind as much as 25% of ED cases.
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