The Blood Pressure And Erectile Dysfunction Connection
Written by Stuart Stevens | Tuesday, 05 September 2006 | There are 0 comments
Many people are curious to learn more about the way that high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction are linked and how exactly and to what extent it causes erection problems. An old study undertaken in 1988 by the American Geriatrics Society saw that around half of all males between the ages of 40 and 79 who suffered from high blood pressure also suffered from erectile dysfunction. A newer lot of research that was seen in the Journal of Urology 6 years ago saw that the figure was in fact greater at 67% and of these men it was considered to be severe erectile dysfunction meaning that the the was complete loss of erectile function.
What actually happens is that elevated blood pressure prevents the penile arteries (through which the blood flows through into the penis) from dilating in the correct way and it also prevents the smooth muscle found in the penis from being able to completely relax. The result in both cases is that the quantity of blood that flows to the penis is reduced and this prevents good erection.
The problem for some men can be compounded by the fact that high blood pressure medications can also causes erection problems on their own. For example some diuretics and beta blockers which are often used by men with high blood pressure also cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect is that they lower the strength by which the blood flows into the penile arteries.
On top of this Beta-blockers have also been seen to weaken nerve impulses that cause an erection and they affect the widening of the penile arteries that it required for increased blood flow. So be aware that it may not solely be your high blood pressure that is causing your impotence but also the medicines that you take to cure it.
Most blood pressure problems that cause erectile dysfunction can be cured with PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. These drugs can affect blood pressure too, so that is why a prescription and an online consultation is always required before the use of these drugs.
