Scientists have known about the link between impotence, or erectile dysfunction, and heart health for years. Although there is no proof so far, a common theory is that arteries supplying the penis with blood during erections may clog up earlier than those in the heart, which are larger -- thus providing an early warning of possible coronary artery disease down the road
To investigate the connection between the two, researchers combined twelve earlier studies of impotence and heart disease, including nearly 37,000 men.
The researchers found that men with erectile problems had a 48-percent increase in their risk of developing heart disease, and also had higher death rates than men who didn't have sexual problems and factors like smoking, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure didn't explain the link.
n the other study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers surveying earlier work found that both lifestyle changes and statins appeared to improve men's erectile problems -- although only a little.
Full report:
Failing erections may point to heart problems
