Can High Blood Pressure Medications Cause Erectile Dysfunction
At this point, we all should be acutely aware of the impacts high blood pressure can have on our lives.
For decades men have been warned of the potential health disasters caused by hypertension, including the risk of a heart attack or stroke, aneurysms, or even dementia caused by narrowed or blocked arteries.
However, one additional complication that isnt necessarily as widely known is erectile dysfunction.
Thats right, hypertension can also manifest itself in the bedroom. There is actually a close relationship between high blood pressure and EDso close in fact, that the latter can be one of the first signs of the former. Men with high blood pressure are actually up to twice as likely to experience ED as those without.
The reason why is simple human biology erections require easy blood flow. Hypertension doesnt allow the walls of your arteries to relax as they should, preventing the required amount of blood flow to achieve and maintain a firm erection.
Unfortunately, the bad news doesnt end there. Certain medications to treat hypertension have also been linked to ED. In fact, medications could be the culprit behind as much as 25% of ED cases.
How To Maintain Lower Blood Pressure With Medications And Lifestyle Choices
If you have high blood pressure, the best thing you can do is talk to your healthcare provider about how you can safely and sustainably reduce it. Your healthcare provider might recommend making changes to your lifestyle, or they may recommend using high blood pressure medications. Some treatment options for blood pressure are diuretics, beta-blockers, alpha-blockers and ACE inhibitors, according to an article published by the International Journal of Hypertension. Beta blockers obstruct the effects of adrenaline, the hormone that triggers your body’s fight-or-flight response when you’re stressed, which slows your heart rate. Alpha-blockers prevent a hormone called norepinephrine from tightening the muscles in the walls of smaller arteries and veins, which improves blood flow. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are heart disease medications that widen your blood vessels and increase the amount of blood your heart pumps.
Often, high blood pressure is caused by several factors at once. Below, weve listed some of the most effective steps you can take to naturally lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of experiencing blood pressure-induced ED:
Negative Effects Of Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about one out of every three American adults have high blood pressure, or hypertension. Because high blood pressure is so common, it might be tempting to assume that its no big deal. But the truth is, that when left untreated, high blood pressure can put you at risk for potentially life-threatening complications.
Here are eight ways that uncontrolled high blood pressure can negatively affect your health:
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Blood Pressure Diet Exercise And Ed
You may have much more success treating erection problems if you manage blood pressure first. Eating well and exercising regularly will help prevent and treat high blood pressure.
If you need help managing your blood pressure, try the DASH diet. This can lower blood pressure in as little as 2 weeks. In general, the DASH diet emphasizes eating whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and low-fat dairy products while limiting salt, fat, and sugar.
You should limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day. That’s only about two-thirds of a teaspoon of table salt.
That can be a hard target to hit if you eat a lot of processed foods . Your best bet is to favor fresh foods that have no added preservatives or fats. Also, read food labels to check on how much sodium is in a serving, and don’t add any extra salt.
Burning calories through exercise helps you tone your body and lose weight. Being overweight makes erectile dysfunction more likely.Many studies have shown that exercise also fights depression, which has a major impact on sexual function. With a leaner, toned body and a better sense of well-being and self-esteem, you’re more likely to feel sexually confident.
When it comes to exercise, you don’t have to follow any intense workouts. Just find a way to get your body moving and your heart rate up with 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week.If youâre a smoker, look into quit-smoking programs, and get support from your doctor, family, and friends.
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Is It Possible To Reverse Erectile Dysfunction
The answer to this question can be a little tricky. Yes, ED is reversible if the cause is clear, but the root cause is not always determinable.
In the event that you treat or cure the issue causing your ED, erectile dysfunction can go away. For example, if erectile dysfunction is a side effect of taking a prescription medication, then switching medications may eliminate the erection difficulties. If ED is the result of poor cardiovascular health and blood flow, losing weight and improving heart strength with exercise and diet can help.
It might not always be that simple, and while not all cases will be reversible, many can be treated properly.
In one study of ED, medical data from 810 men was collected over a period of five years. These men used lifestyle changes to address their ED. Of these men, 31 percent experienced some form of erectile dysfunction. With treatment the remission rate was a remarkable 29 percent, indicating that with proper effort erectile dysfunction can be a temporary issue. ED is treatable and reversible for many men.
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Clear Your Pipes To Reverse Ed
When the collagen in your blood vessels breaks down, your body patches it up with calcium. That calcium accumulates and leaves deposits that harden and narrow the vessels and reduce blood flow.
Its a lot like how the pipes in your house accumulate that nasty residue on their interior walls, and need a snake or Drano treatment every few years.
If the that reduces how much blood gets to your peniswhich reduces the strength of your erections.
Use the Linus Pauling Protocol to reduce that plaque.
The protocol was developed by Dr. Linus Pauling, a scientist who investigated the role of vitamins in cardiovascular health. He was kind of a big deal before his death in 1994.
Hes just one of four people to have won more than one Nobel prize.
To follow the protocol, you take Vitamin C, L-Lysine, and L-Proline.
These three supplements combine to help clean out the plaque in your blood vessels. That helps with your ED, with the added extra bonus of reducing your chances for things like high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.
How does it work? Im glad you asked.
The key here is building and protecting collagen production. That means healthier, more elastic blood vessels, and better blood flow.
The Bottom Line: Take Vitamin C, L-Lysine and L-Proline every day to give your body what it needs to reduce arterial plaque in your member. This will improve blood flow and makes your erections harder.
Learn more about reducing penile plaque and the Linus Pauling protocol here.
Diuretics And Beta Blockers Bp Meds May Cause Erectile Dysfunction
One of the first types of medications that a doctor would prescribe to someone with high blood pressure is diuretics . These are pills that essentially get rid of excess salt and water within your body, thereby reducing overall blood volume and therefore overall blood pressure. However, because diuretics also reduce fluid levels in the body, they can also result in decreased blood flow to the penisâwhich is necessary for erection.Beta blockers are also another common medication that doctors prescribe to their patients. These drugs reduce the effects of a body hormone called epinephrine, which helps to lower blood pressure and heart rate. Unfortunately, beta blockers can also block your erection. Epinephrine plays a part in the nervous system, which is very much needed in the realm of getting stimulated.Hereâs a brief list of brand names for diuretics and beta-blockers. See any that are familiar to you?Diuretics: Clorpres, Tenoretic, Lopressor, Lasix, ZaroxolynBeta-blockers: Atenolol, Sectral, Monocor, Coreg, Levatol, Inderal
To cut to the chase, both diuretics and beta blockers are good at lowering high blood pressure, but sometimes they may also come with side effects, which include erectile dysfunction.Make sure the medications you or your partner takes are not the reason why you canât have fun in bed!
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Causes And Risk Factors
You may be at an increased risk for high blood pressure if you smoke, areoverweight, eat a diet thats low on produce and fiber and/or high in fatand salt, drink alcohol to excess, live with chronic stress or dont getmuch physical activity. Some causes of hypertension cannot becontrolledincluding your genes and your race . Aging also plays a role. Even if you do not have hypertensionby age 55 to 65, your lifetime risk for developing it is a whopping 90percent.
But doctors no longer consider hypertension inevitable or untreatable withage, saysSamuel Durso, M.D., director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at JohnsHopkins.
In one Johns Hopkins study of 975 older women and men with hypertension,healthy lifestyle steps helped 40 percent stop taking blood pressuremedications. Other research has shown that lifestyle changes can lower therisk for hypertension in African-Americans and others at an increasedgenetic risk.
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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Treatment For Erection Problems Depends On The Cause
Treatments for erectile dysfunction are usually effective and the problem often goes away.
There are also specific treatments for some of the causes of erectile dysfunction.
| Possible cause | |
|---|---|
| Hormone replacement | |
| Side effects of prescribed medicine | Change to medicine after discussion with GP |
Medicine such as sildenafil is also often used by doctors to treat erectile dysfunction. It’s also available from pharmacies.
Because of changes in regulations, you no longer need a prescription to get sildenafil.
But you’ll have to have a consultation with the pharmacist to make sure it’s safe for you to take it.
There are other similar medicines called tadalafil , vardenafil and avanafil that work in a similar way.
You’ll still need a prescription to get these medicines.
You can buy sildenafil over the internet. Be very careful if you do this as many websites sell fake medicines.
Online medicines are not always regulated and the ingredients in them can vary from one pack to another. They can cause unpleasant side effects, or may not be suitable for you.
It’s best to see a doctor before buying medicines online. They know your medical history and can discuss whether you might benefit from treatment.
If you choose to buy sildenafil on the internet, make sure:
-
do not cycle for a while
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do not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week
The Sexual Advice Association has factsheets on medicines and other treatments for erectile dysfunction.
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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High Blood Pressure And Ed
Overview
High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, can contribute to erectile dysfunction . Some of the medications used to treat high blood pressure can cause ED as well. According to the authors of one study , about 30 percent of men with high blood pressure also have had ED. Finding a medication that treats high blood pressure without causing ED is a goal of many men.
The first step toward this goal is learning about the relationships among ED, high blood pressure, and blood pressure medications. Modifying your lifestyle can also help.
Get Rid Of Bad Habits
Its common knowledge that smoking is an unhealthy habit. What might not be as well known is that smoking is the leading cause of erectile dysfunction in men under the age of 40. Not only do the chemicals and smoke in cigarettes damage the heart and lungs, nicotine leads to constriction of the blood vessels and negatively impacts blood flow.
With alcohol, one or two drinks infrequently typically wont result in problems, but frequently drinking to excess can result in ED. Over time, heavy alcohol consumption can damage the liver and lead to an increase in estrogen production, which can actually lower testosterone levels. Chronic alcoholism also contributes to nerve damage, leading to reduced sensitivity and poor signalling. Ultimately, the damage can make it harder to “get hard.”
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What Are The Most Common Side Effects Of Generic Sildenafil Citrate
The most common side effects are:
- 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.
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:
- Medicines called nitrates
- Medicines called guanylate cyclase stimulators such as Adempas®
- Medicines called alpha-blockers such as Hytrin® , Flomax® , Cardura® , Minipress® , Uroxatral® , Jalyn® , or Rapaflo® . Alpha-blockers are sometimes prescribed for prostate problems or high blood pressure. In some patients, the use of VIAGRA® with alpha-blockers can lead to a drop in blood pressure or to fainting
- Medicines called HIV protease inhibitors, such as ritonavir , indinavir sulfate , saquinavir , or atazanavir sulfate
- Oral antifungal medicines, such as ketoconazole and itraconazole
- Antibiotics, such as clarithromycin , telithromycin , or erythromycin
- Other medicines that treat high blood pressure
- Other medicines or treatments for ED
- Sildenafil is the same medicine found in VIAGRA® and REVATIO®. REVATIO® is used to treat a rare disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension . VIAGRA® should not be used with REVATIO® or with other PAH treatments containing sildenafil or any other PDE5 inhibitors
What Is High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is when the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is consistently too high. This can put you at risk for cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure causes damage to arteries, causing them to narrow and harden, which can result in heart attack and stroke.
It is important to regularly monitor blood pressure. A blood pressure reading of less than 120/80 is considered normal. The American Heart Association notes that there are typically no symptoms of high blood pressure, so regular doctor visits and blood pressure readings are the best way to catch the condition before it leads to a serious problem.
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Address Substance Abuse To Reverse Ed
I shouldnt have to tell you how bad illegal drugs are for your health, wellness, mental state, and relationships.
If you have a problem with something like cocaine, meth, or heroinseek help immediately. I mean, right now. This article will still be here when youre clean.
But illegal drugs arent the only ones that can cause erectile dysfunction. Three commonly used, and commonly prescribed, drugs are solidly proven to wreak havoc with your erections.
Alcohol in the short term can cause your little buddy to pass out before you do. While youre drunk, the communication between nerve cells and your brain slows and sometimes misses entirely. That includes communication for arousal and erection.
In the long term, alcohol can permanently damage nerve cells and harm circulation, both of which directly impact your sexual health. Theres also solid research suggesting that alcohol consumption reduces testosterone and increases estrogen in men.
Opiates and opiate dependency are also related to erectile dysfunction, to the point that 50-60 percent of men seeking treatment for opiate addiction also experience ED.
Research is still progressing as to why, but some early findings point to opioids reducing testosterone, and messing up the pathways between your hypothalamus, your pituitary gland, and your gonads.
Who would have guessed drugs designed to reduce emotional range might have the side effect of limiting sexual activity?
One Last Thing