What is ED
ED is the inability of a man to obtain or maintain an erection.
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study 52% men aged 40-70 had ED to some extent and almost 10% could not have an erection at all.
The Cross-National Survey on Men's Health Issues found that ED rose with age, with men aged 70-75 being 14 times more likely to have ED than men 20-29.
Causes of ED
Medical conditions can cause ED
- heart disease
- vascular disease and cholesterol problems
- hypertension
- diabetes and other hormonal conditions
- prostate disease
- kidney and bladder disease
- neurological conditions
- smoking, obesity
Medications (see hypertension) can cause ED including
street drugs.
Mental status including stress, depresssion and anger make ED more likely.
General health: poor general health increases ED.
Hypertension and ED
Nitrous oxide (NO) is a gas dissolved in the tissues. It is a very powerful
vasodilator (it opens arteries up). Erection of the penis needs NO to work properly. People with hypertension may have problems with arteries being too unresponsive to the control of vasodilatation. Hypertension and hypertensive drugs are associated with ED because they have this function (NO) in common. Some hypertension drugs cause ED, some do not affect ED, some help ED.
- centrally acting agents and beta-blockers cause ED or make it worse
- CCBs (calcium channel blockers) and ACE inhibitors (
angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors) do not affect ED
- ARBs (
angiotensin 11 receptor blockers) may help ED.
