According to German researchers, erectile dysfunction may mean an increased risk of heart attack in the future.
The American cardiology journal Circulation reports that 1,529 volunteers with cardiovascular disease took part in the study. Those with erectile dysfunction were twice as likely to eventually have a heart attack.
It is often believed that impotence is the result of psychological problems or bad communication between couples. Researchers have now established a link between erectile difficulties and cardiovascular disease. This is has not been studied a lot in the past.
Michael Bohm is the lead author of the Circulation study and chairman of internal medicine in the department of cardiology and intensive care at the University of Saarland, Germany. He was recently quoted in an American Heart Association news release as saying, "Men need to consider ED as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease just as high blood pressure and cholesterol are."