ED called 'strong' predictor of death in men with cardiovascular disease

Dallas-Erectile dysfunction is a strong predictor of death from all causes and of myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure in men with cardiovascular disease, German researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association (published online, March 15, 2010).

Researchers from the University of Saarland found that men with CVD and ED (compared to those without ED) were twice as likely to suffer death from all causes and 1.6 times more likely to suffer the composite of cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure hospitalization. More specifically, they were 1.9 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease, twice as likely to have a heart attack, 1.2 times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure, and 1.1 times more likely to have a stroke.

The authors also found that, though ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, or a combination of the two can reduce CV events in high-risk patients, the drugs didn't influence the course nor the development of ED.

Deaths from all causes occurred in 11.3% of the patients who reported ED at baseline, but in only 5.6% of those with no or mild ED at the start of the study. The composite primary outcome of cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure hospitalization occurred in 16.2% of ED patients compared to 10.3% of patients with no or mild ED.

Boehringer-Ingelheim, Germany funded the study.