The Connection Between Erectile Dysfunction and Heart Disease

If you smoke or have known peripheral artery disease, the risk is even greater. Other factors that can add to the risk of blocked arteries include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, which for men is a waistline greater than 40 inches.

Although it is not the most comfortable topic to bring up with your physician, talking about it can help you identify the symptoms of heart disease early on. And, if you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease, knowing the connection and taking the appropriate precautions is crucial to improving and maintaining erectile function.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself if you think you might be experiencing erectile dysfunction:

Do I have high blood pressure?
Do I have difficulty staying aroused when in the mood?
How often does this happen - occasionally, often or rarely?
Do I take blood pressure medication?
Do I have known coronary artery disease?

Shawnee Mission Medical Center has a great online tool that can help determine whether or not you are at risk for heart disease. It only takes seven minutes, and it’s free. So take time for yourself today, and share the free assessment with your loved ones too! Just click on the link below, and you’ll be on your way to being more proactive about your heart health!

http://www.shawneemission.org/heart-vascular-care/heart-aware-risk-assessment.html