Why Does Erectile Dysfunction Happen
Erectile dysfunction can have a range of causes, both physical and psychological. Physical causes include:
- narrowing of the blood vessels going to the penis commonly associated with high blood pressure , high cholesterol or diabetes
- hormonal problems
Psychological causes of ED include:
- anxiety
- depression
- relationship problems
Sometimes erectile dysfunction only occurs in certain situations. For example, you may be able to get an erection during masturbation, or you may find that you sometimes wake up with an erection but you are unable to get an erection with your sexual partner.
If this is the case, it is likely the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction is psychological . If you are unable to get an erection under any circumstances, it is likely that the underlying cause is physical.
Erectile dysfunction can also be a side-effect of using certain medicines.
Read more about the causes of erectile dysfunction
High Blood Pressure And Blood Flow
Normal, unobstructed blood flow is the key to healthy erections. When you feel aroused, your body increases the level of blood flow to tissue inside the penis, filling the corpora cavernosa and giving you an erection.
High blood pressure can make this more difficult by damaging blood vessels. Hypertension is closely linked to narrowed, ruptured or otherwise damaged blood vessels — an issue that can negatively affect blood flow and even potentially increase your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
Damaged blood vessels result in weaker, less consistent blood flow throughout your body — a condition that makes developing an erection much more difficult.
When there isnt enough blood flow to fill the corpora cavernosa, you might have trouble with getting and maintaining an erection. Sometimes, high blood pressure might not produce total ED — instead, you might notice slightly weaker erections that are harder to maintain.
What Are Surgical Treatment Options For Erectile Dysfunction
Penile prosthesis surgery
Inflatable penile prostheses are implanted during outpatient surgery. Once they are part of a man’s body, they enable him to have an erection whenever he desires. The use of a prosthesis preserves penile sensation, orgasm and ejaculation for most men.
The most commonly used penile implant consists of a pair of inflatable cylinders that are surgically implanted in the erection chambers of the penis. The cylinders are connected through tubing to a reservoir of fluid under the lower abdominal muscles, and to a pump inside the scrotal sac.
To inflate the penile prosthesis, the man compresses the pump a number of times to transfer fluid from the reservoir to the cylinders. This causes the penis to become erect. When inflated, the prosthesis makes the penis stiff and thick, which is very similar to a natural erection.
A penile prosthesis does not change the sensation on the skin of the penis or a man’s ability to achieve orgasm or ejaculate. Pressing on a deflation valve attached to the pump returns the fluid to the reservoir, which returns the penis to a flaccid state.
The surgical procedure is performed through one or two small incisions that are generally well hidden. Other people will be unable to tell that a man has an inflatable penile prosthesis. Complications following surgery are not common, but primarily include infection and mechanical device failure.
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Testosterone And Also Erectile Feature
Among the sensations in the aging male are a decrease in erectile function as well as testosterone degrees. Contribute to these, boosted risk for CVD, muscular tissue losing, decline in bone thickness as well as libido, with all of these elements having an interplay with testosterone metabolic process.
Androgens play a crucial role in preserving erectile function through 4 primary mechanisms. Androgen deprivation has actually been revealed to result in disability of NO synthase launch, transformed PDE5 expression and also task, damaged cavernosal nerve feature, as well as payment to veno-occlusive condition in the penis. Blood Pressure Meds That Cause Erectile Dysfunction
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Therapeutic Approach Of Hypertensive Patients With Ed
Firstly, it is important to provide an adequate room to talk about sexual dysfunction. It is crucial to listen carefully what patient would like to explain and also to make some questions to check what was understood. The usefulness of standard questionnaires during daily clinical practice is low but the short form of IIEF , for example, could help to confirm the ED diagnosis and to provide a clear tool to quantify the pathology and also to follow its evolution and clinical response to therapy .
Initial efforts should identify and treat all modifiable risk factors. Next step is a trial with PDE5 inhibitor for those hypertensive subjects without contraindications for sexual activity or for this class of drugs . Thus, knowledge of cardiovascular risk of men with ED is essential, since it could help to identify hidden risk factors and also to evaluate the existence of any contraindication for ED therapy as detailed in the second Princeton consensus . In this way, hypertensive patients would be classified as low, intermediate, or high risk. In case of high risk, before sexual attempts, a cardiologic evaluation is necessary in order to improve conditions to support such metabolic demand . In high risk subjects, cardiologic condition should be stabilized through medication, surgery, or other means before sexual rehabilitation. In intermediate risk, a deeper cardiovascular evaluation is necessary and efforts to improve clinical condition should precede sexual efforts .
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High Blood Pressure Can Increase A Man’s Risk For Erectile Dysfunction Yet Some Bp Drugs Also Can Contribute To The Problem
One reason erectile dysfunction becomes more common with age is that older men are more likely to be on medication, and ED is often a side effect of many common drugs. In fact, it’s been estimated that 25% of all ED is caused by medication.
Several drugs can produce erectile difficulties, but blood pressure drugs are near the top. ED is an occasional side effect of BP drugs like thiazide diuretics, loop diuretics, and beta-blockers, all of which can decrease blood flow to the penis and make it difficult to get an erection. However, other BP drugs, such as alpha-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and angioten-sin-receptor blockers, rarely cause ED.
Some research even suggests the effect of blood pressure drugs may be more psychological than physical. When ED occurs after a man begins to take a new medication, it’s possible that anxiety about his health, rather than the medication, may trigger the problem. And being aware of possible side effects may make a man more likely to recognize them as abnormal.
If you get ED shortly after starting treatment with any BP drug, speak with your doctor. He or she may be able to substitute for a different one. Keep in mind that it can take anywhere from several days to several weeks after stopping a high blood pressure medication for erections to return.
What Are The Most Common Side Effects Of Generic Sildenafil Citrate
The most common side effects are:
- Headache
- Have kidney problems or are having kidney dialysis
- Have any problem with the shape of your penis or Peyronies disease
- Have any other medical conditions
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Sildenafil may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way sildenafil works, causing side effects.
Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following:
Withholding or providing inaccurate information about your health and medical history in order to obtain treatment may result in harm, including, in some cases, death.
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The Takeaway: High Blood Pressure And Erectile Dysfunction Are Very Closely Linked In Several Ways Not Only Can Having High Blood Pressure Make It Harder To Achieve An Erection It Can Even Impact Your Sex Drive And Performance As Well Its Even Possible For Some Medications For High Blood Pressure To Cause Erectile Dysfunction As A Side Effect
Lowering your blood pressure will go a long way in helping to combat erectile dysfunction. A diet change, some more exercise, and cutting back on drinking and smoking are just a few changes that will help in the process.
In the meantime, it may be a good idea to talk with your doctor about prescription ED medication for treating erectile dysfunction. These drugs can help eliminate the symptoms of erectile dysfunction while you work to lower your blood pressure naturally.
Who Should Not Take Cialis Or Generic Cialis
Do not take CIALIS® or generic CIALIS® if you:
- Have severe liver disease. Tell your doctor if you have mild to moderate liver disease as you may need dosage reductions.
- Have severe kidney disease. Tell your doctor if you have mild to moderate kidney disease as you may need dosage reductions
- Take any medicines called nitrates
- Use recreational drugs called poppers like amyl nitrite and butyl nitrite
- Take any medicines called guanylate cyclase stimulators, such as riociguat
- Are allergic to CIALIS®, tadalafil or ADCIRCA®, or any of its ingredients
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What Causes Erectile Dysfunction
ED can be caused by a number of factors, including:
- Vascular disease: Blood supply to the penis can become blocked or narrowed as a result of vascular disease such as atherosclerosis .
- Neurological disorders : Nerves that send impulses to the penis can become damaged from stroke, diabetes, or other causes.
- Psychological states: These include stress, depression, lack of stimulus from the brain and performance anxiety.
- Trauma: An injury could contribute to symptoms of ED.
Chronic illness, certain medications, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause ED. Operations for the prostate, bladder, and colon cancer may also be contributing factors.
Assessing Your Cardiovascular Health
Your GP may assess your cardiovascular health. Narrowed blood vessels are a common cause of erectile dysfunction and linked with cardiovascular disease .
Your GP may:
- reducing stress
As well as helping to improve your erectile dysfunction, these changes can also improve your general health and may help to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease .
Read more about preventing cardiovascular disease
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Can Erectile Dysfunction Be Prevented
For people who are at risk of developing ED due to personal behavior, steps may be taken to try to prevent its occurrence. However, other causes may not be preventable.
A number of studies now suggest a link between ED and obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
The following recommendations may help prevent ED or improve the problem if it is already present:
- Eat a healthy diet. A diet that limits saturated fat intake and includes several portions of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can benefit men with ED.
- Reduce cholesterol. High cholesterol can harden, narrow or block the arteries leading to the penis. Men can lower cholesterol through diet, exercise and medication.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise may reduce the risk of ED. Choose exercises that you enjoy and will make a regular part of your day. In addition to reducing the risk of ED, exercise also can help you manage stress. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
How Is Erectile Dysfunction Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask you about the problems youre having as well as any other medical conditions and your overall health and wellbeing. They will also check your blood pressure and heart rate and do a physical exam.
These will help your doctor understand the cause of the problem and any underlying health problems that need treating, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol which could mean youre at risk of heart attacks, heart disease and stroke.
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Talking With Your Partner Concerning Erectile Troubles
Obviously, erection issues can be a tough concern for couples to talk about however speaking honestly can usually be the very best way of resolving tension as well as recognizing underlying reasons. Talking about whats going on is a better technique than acting erectile troubles arent taking place or just avoiding sex without offering a factor.
Ed And Cardiovascular Risk
Several traditional risk factors were related to ED in medical literature with some evidences coming from well designed epidemiological trials. Age seems to be the clearest risk factor with strong association with the presence and severity of ED . After adjusting for age, the correlation between ED and modifiable risk factorshypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, sedentary, and smokingremained significant . The increase of ED’s prevalence with aging is followed by atherosclerotic lesions in vascular tree . Most men with hypothetic vasculogenic ED present at least one traditional cardiovascular risk factor . These evidences allowed the consideration of ED as a clinical manifestation of a functional or structural abnormality in penile circulation as component of a systemic vasculopathy .
Erection is a complex psiconeurovascular process and involves several system interactions that converge to an increase in hypogastrian-penian blood flow and subsequent activation of veno-occlusive mechanism of corpus cavernosum . It is well known that the blood increment towards cavernous tissues necessary for a rigid erection is huge and even small hemodynamic disturbances could produce sexual dysfunction . So, traditional risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia could contribute for ED development or worsening even in situations where psychological etiology seems more likely.
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Communication Blood Pressure Meds That Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Although it can be tough, servicing open communication in a connection can help reduce the pressure of ED.
As ED can cause feelings of sense of guilt or embarrassment, some males might stay clear of any sort of intimacy with their companion to make sure that they can prevent distress. However, a partner might translate this as being rejected, making them feel unwanted or unappealing.
ED does not make them any kind of much less manly or desirable. Sex is not as important as the persons wellness and health.
What Is Ed And Who Should Care
Erectile dysfunction is defined as regular difficulty getting or maintaining an erection for satisfying sex. The key word here is regular. Its normal for men to have problems getting hard on occasion, but when successful erections become the exception more than the rule, or when they flat out dont happen anymore, thats ED.
This can be a sign theres something else going on inside. Thats because the same things that cause erectile dysfunction can also cause problems with your heart and blood vessels. So if you have erectile dysfunction, you are likely to have heart disease and vice versa.
Most people with heart disease take blood pressure-lowering medicine.
The most common medications to cause erectile dysfunction are blood pressure drugs . Here are some other medications that can cause ED:
Other heart medicines called beta-blockers have a small risk of ED. These include popular drugs like metoprolol , atenolol , propranolol and bisoprolol .
If youre having ED and take one of these medications, its not all bad news. Here are blood pressure medications that do not often cause ED:
-
Alpha-blockers like doxazosin, prazosin, and terazosin
-
ACE inhibitors like lisinopril, benazepril, enalapril, ramipril, quinapril, and ramipril
-
ARBs like losartan, irbesartan, and valsartan
-
Calcium channel blockers like amlodipine, diltiazem, verapamil, and nifedipine
Worth knowing:
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Erectile Dysfunction And Heart Disease Are Connected
ED is a common phenomenon among men who have coronary heart disease, says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael J. Blaha, M.D., M.P.H., director of clinical research at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease.
Coronary heart disease occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart and impairing the functioning of blood vessels. Healthy blood flow is also necessary for erectile function. In addition, some medications to treat high blood pressure can contribute to ED.
Angiotensin Ii Receptor Blockers
As mentioned earlier, angiotensin II is a chemical enzyme that leads to a narrowing and constricting of blood vessels when its released into the bloodstream. While ACE inhibitors aim to prevent its conversion, ARBs work to negate its effects in the body directly.
Some examples of ARBs include:
- Atacand
- Micardis
- Teveten
ARBs were at one point studied as a potential treatment for erectile dysfunction. A total of 2,809 men participated in four clinical trials during which they were given ARBs.
While the men receiving ARBs experienced an improvement in overall sexual activity, their erectile function didnt increase by a significant enough margin when compared to control groups to be considered efficacious.
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Erectile Dysfunction High Blood Pressure
VigRX Plus Review: The TRUTH About This ED Supplement Erectile Dysfunction High Blood Pressure
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What Should I Tell My Roman
Before you take VIAGRA® or generic VIAGRA® , tell your healthcare provider if you:
- Have or have had heart problems such as a heart attack,irregular heartbeat, angina, chest pain, narrowing of the aortic valve, or heart failure
- Have had heart surgery within the last 6 months
- Have pulmonary hypertension
- Have low blood pressure, or high blood pressure that is not controlled
- Have a deformed penis shape
- Have had an erection that lasted for more than 4 hours
- Have problems with your blood cells such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia
- Have retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic eye disease
- Have ever had severe vision loss, including an eye problem called NAION
- Have bleeding problems
- Have or have had stomach or intestinal ulcers
- Have liver problems
- Have kidney problems or are having kidney dialysis
- Have any other medical conditions
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
VIAGRA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way VIAGRA works, causing side effects.
Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following:
Withholding or providing inaccurate information about your health and medical history in order to obtain treatment may result in harm, including, in some cases, death.
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