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Study Links ED to Heart Attack

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(NewsUSA) - A new study suggests that men experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) need to worry about more than their sex life -- in men with cardiovascular disease, ED can indicate a greater risk of heart attack.

The study of 1,500 men, which was published in "Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association," found that men with both ED and cardiovascular disease were twice as likely to have a heart attack than men with cardiovascular disease, but no ED. And the worse the ED, the greater the risk.

This research only confirms what doctors have known for years -- men need to take ED seriously.

The male organ serves as the barometer of a man's overall health, with dysfunction often acting as a precursor for other existing or potential health issues. Studies have established that men with ED are more likely to develop heart problems like heart attack, cardiac death, stroke and angina, or chest pain. ED can also be an early sign of diabetes, high cholesterol levels and other physical ailments. Even mild symptoms of ED can mean that there are issues in other parts of a man's body.

Before addressing ED, men should make sure that they are otherwise healthy. Doctors who specifically deal with sexual dysfunction issues, such as physicians with Boston Medical Group (http://www.bostonmedicalgroup.com), can identify underlying issues that may be causing ED.

Treatment is available even for men with diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer and kidney or liver problems, who often have trouble taking oral medications for ED, due to potentially serious systemic side effects. Intracavernous pharmocotherapy (ICP) -- a small and minimally invasive injection of a combination of FDA-approved medications -- may be a better option. Other alternatives include intraurethral suppository and vacuum suction devices.

Sex is an important part of physical, psychological and emotional health. Men experiencing ED should ask their doctor about treatment options -- but only after looking for underlying health issues that may be causing the problem.