A new study has found that men with Erectile Dysfunction (ED), aka impotence, are at risk of developing Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) or irregular heartbeat.
Afib is a condition characterized by irregular or quivering heartbeats, leading to blood clots, heart attack, and stroke. In the United States, more than 6 million people have Afib.
Previous studies have shown a connection between ED and cardiovascular disease. So, researchers of the new study wanted to determine what is the connection between ED and Afib.
Lead study author Dr. Yoshihiro Tanaka said, “It is well known that ED symptoms appear two to three years before we see cardiovascular disease, so if we can use ED symptoms as a marker for predicting future AFib, we may be able to treat the patient early and hopefully stop the disease progression.”
Dr. Tanaka is a cardiologist and postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University in Chicago.
The researchers looked at 1,760 older men with no history of AFib and followed them for up to four years. They found that nearly 10 percent of men who reported having ED were diagnosed with AFib.
The study found that men with ED were 66 percent more likely to be diagnosed with AFib even after adjusting for a variety of risk factors, such as weight, blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.
The findings of the study were presented last week at the conference of the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia.
Dr. Tanaka said, “That’s a reasonably strong association. If patients have ED, physicians should investigate other cardiovascular risk factors and initiate treatment as soon as possible.”
However, there were a few limitations to the study. For instance, participants self-reported having ED and investigators do not know whether the condition was caused by physical or psychological problems.
“The other limitation is atrial fibrillation is very difficult to detect. Some patients don’t complain of any symptoms because the arrhythmia shows up and disappears suddenly,” added Dr. Tanaka. He said he would like to see more studies to find the exact connection between ED and AFib.
