(MayoClinic.com) Erectile dysfunction can be stressful, but it isn't life-threatening. However, heart disease can be. Erectile dysfunction — difficulty maintaining an erection sufficient for sex — can be an early warning sign of heart problems. Understanding the connections between erectile dysfunction and heart health may help you recognize signs and symptoms of heart disease early on and get treatment before heart problems become serious. Likewise, if you have heart disease, getting the right treatment may help with erectile dysfunction.

Atherosclerosis (ath-ur-o-skluh-RO-sis) — sometimes called hardening of the arteries — is the buildup of plaques in the arteries in different parts of your body. It causes the arteries to narrow and harden, limiting blood flow. Because the arteries supplying your penis are smaller than those supplying your heart, symptoms of atherosclerosis may first show up as erectile dysfunction. Heart disease occurs when you have atherosclerosis in the arteries that supply your heart with blood. Atherosclerosis can also increase your risk of other problems, including aneurysm, stroke and peripheral artery disease.

These factors all increase the likelihood that your erectile dysfunction could be a sign of underlying atherosclerosis and heart disease:

• Having diabetes. Men who have diabetes are at especially high risk of erectile dysfunction, heart disease and other problems caused by restricted blood flow.
• Your age. The younger you are, the more likely your erectile dysfunction is a sign that you are at risk of heart disease. Men under age 50 are at especially high risk. In men over age 70, erectile dysfunction is much less likely to be a sign of heart disease.
• Being overweight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of both heart disease and erectile dysfunction due to atherosclerosis and other reasons.
• Having high cholesterol. A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis.
• Being a smoker. Smoking cigarettes raises your risk of developing atherosclerosis. It also directly affects your ability to get an erection.
• Having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure damages the lining of your arteries and accelerates the process of atherosclerosis.
• Having a family member with heart disease. It's more likely your erectile dysfunction could be linked to heart disease if you have a blood relative such as a sibling or parent who had heart disease at a young age.
• Being depressed. There's some evidence that depression is associated with an increased chance of having heart problems — and erectile dysfunction.

If your doctor thinks you may be at risk of heart disease, making simple lifestyle changes such as exercising, changing your diet or losing weight may be enough to help keep your heart healthy — and improve your ability to have an erection. If you have more serious signs and symptoms of heart disease, you may need further tests or treatment. If you have both erectile dysfunction and heart disease, talk to your doctor about treatment options for erectile dysfunction. If you are on certain heart medications, especially nitrates, it is not safe to use many of the medications used to treat erectile dysfunction.

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