Diabetics with Erectile Dysfunction Face Cardiovascular Risks As Well

New research has shown that diabetic men who are impotent have to worry about more than just a dysfunctional sex life. The new research showed the possibility of such men suffering from potentially lethal heart problems was two times that in normal men.

For long, it has been common knowledge that diabetic men face the possibility of a very depressing side effect – erectile dysfunction. However, with the new research comes more worrying news for diabetics who are impotent – apparently, erectile dysfunction can be used to determine a range of cardiac problems – from chest pains and heart attack to even death.

This was the conclusion drawn through two new studies on the subject. Both these studies have been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology’s newest edition.

According to Dr. Peter C.Y. Tong, who is an associate professor at the Prince of Wales Hospital at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, men suffering from Type 2 diabetes cannot afford to take the situation lightly. Dr. Tong has conducted studies in this area in over 2,300 Chinese men.

During the course of his research, Dr. Tong examined diabetics in their mid-50s with no prior history of cardiac problems for up to seven years. In such cases, he found that the risk of developing coronary heart disease was two times higher in patients who suffered from erectile dysfunction.

In an e-mail, Dr. Tong mentioned, “You must take action NOW to improve upon these modifiable risk factors. Otherwise, you will have a high chance of having a heart attack in the near future.”

According to Dr. Tong, the problem was magnified also because of the embarrassment and strong taboo associated with talking about one’s sexual function. That alone could have prevented many of the Chinese men from talking about their problem and thereby ensuring earlier remediation.

Andy Mandell, the executive director of the Defeat Diabetes Foundation, echoes the point raised by Dr. Tong about lack of proper communication regarding the problem. On way to completing a 10,000-mile walk to increase awareness about the problem (he has completed 9,445 miles so far), Mandell says that during his interaction with close to 60,000 diabetics, he has heard of this particular problem from just a handful of them.

The 63-year old Mandell says, “It’s not the kind of conversation that people are usually open and up front about.” Mandell himself was diagnosed in 1985 with Type 2 diabetes.

According to experts, it becomes very important that men suffering from sexual problems, especially in having or maintaining an erection should talk to their doctors about it at the earliest. This would enable the doctors to assess the patient for cardiac risk. The doctor could then also suggest steps, such as dietary changes or alterations in medication to ensure the situation did not worsen.

Doctors in the U.S. who specialize in diabetes have warned that erectile dysfunction is not the only diabetes-related complication that could raise concerns about further cardiac problems. According to the American Diabetes Association’s president of medicine and science Dr. John Buse, it was definitely one symptom that a man would notice immediately.

Dr. Buse said, “The information is fabulous, in a way, because men tend not to pay attention to long term health care issues. There’s just a lot of denial.”