Erectile Dysfunction: A Sign of Something
More Serious
Millions of men in the Unites States experience
erectile dysfunction (ED) and though it may be
embarrassing to admit for some, it is a condition
your doctor needs to know about.
Erectile dysfunction may be a sign of heart disease.
Hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes all
may contribute to reduced blood flow to the penis,
causing the dysfunction.
In recent years, Viagra has become one of the
hottest selling prescribed medications for ED.
This popular drug may help most men with ED, but
for 10-30% of men who experience the problem,
the drug provides little or no help.
Dr.
Howard Herrmann, Professor of Medicine and
the Director of the Interventional Cardiology
and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at the
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, recently
conducted a study with Emile
Mohler, MD, Director of Vascular Medicine,
Stan
Schwartz, MD and Steve Kimmel, MD at Penn
to find out if cholesterol-lowering drugs called
statins could help men who didn’t respond
to Viagra. The study, published in the March 2006
issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, shows
some promising results.
“Normal erections occur when nitric oxide
is made. In some men, the body doesn’t make
enough of it, causing the erectile dysfunction,”
said Herrmann. Viagra prevents the breakdown of
what little nitric oxide is present, so there
is enough for an erection to occur.
Herrmann used high doses of the drug Lipitor
in a small, controlled group. He then asked men
in the group to use Viagra again and judge the
results.
“There did seem to be some improvement
for those who received Lipitor versus the placebo,”
commented Herrmann. While using Lipitor to make
the thin layer of skin tissue that lines blood
vessels healthier, more nitric oxide was available
and could improve the dysfunction.
Dr. Mohler emphasizes that patients with ED should
talk to their doctors about heart disease. “ED
is a sign that cholesterol plaque may be present
in the heart, neck or leg arteries.” He
adds that men with ED should be evaluated for
other vascular disease.
For more information about erectile dysfunction,
or to find out more about services offered through
Penn Cardiac and Vascular Care, visit pennhealth.com
or call 1-800-789-PENN (7366).
Reviewed by Dr.
Howard Herrmann and Dr.
Emile Mohler
March 2006
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