High Blood Pressure and Erectile Dysfunction
High blood pressure
and erectile dysfunction are closely intertwined conditions, with common base
for both being endothelial dysfunction. While high blood pressure may initially
indicate no symptoms for months or even years, it will damage arteries in the
long run, causing them to become less flexible and progressively narrower. This increases a person’s risk for heart problems
and has the potential to compromise blood supply to many body organs, including
the penis, when left unattended.
Some medications aimed
at treating high blood pressure can be the culprits of ED or may worsenthe
already existing problem. Finding the right antihypertensive drug that stabilizes
blood pressure without affecting sexual function is the goal for many.
Therefore, if you learn at Drugs-med.com which antihypertensive medications
are more likely to affect your erectile function as a side effect, you will be
able to discuss them with your doctor and benefit from getting the best
treatment for your in- and out-of-the-bedroom problems.
First of all, to fully
understand how high blood pressure causes ED, it is necessary to understand how
erection works.
The shaft of the penis
has 2 spongy tissue chambers called corpora cavernosa, which are responsible
for erections. The corpora cavernosaconsist of veins, small arteries, smooth
muscle fiber and some empty spaces. When a man gets an erection, the brain
sends signals to the smooth muscles of the chambers to relax and arteries to widen.
This allows afflux of blood to fill up the empty spaces. As more blood enters
the penis, it expands and stiffens, making erection possible.
High blood pressure
makes the smooth muscles lose their ability to relax and prevents arteries that
deliver blood into the penis from widening the way they are supposed to. This
results in insufficient blood flow to the penisto make it erect.
Hypertension itself
can be a cause of ED, but some antihypertensive drugs can ironically bring
about ED as well.
Not all
antihypertensive drugs cause ED. Some are more likely to cause it than others.
For example, diuretics and beta-blockers are most commonly attributed to ED.
Diuretics decrease the
force of blood flow to the penis, as well as reduce the amount of zinc in the
body, which is necessary for the body to make testosterone.In turn, this lowers
sex drive and affects muscle contraction. Common diuretics include: Lasex,
Edecrin and Bumex.
Beta-blockers deaden the
response of nerve impulses that bringon erection and make it difficult for the
arteries to dilate and let in blood. Moreover, they can also make a man feel
depressed and sedated, which plays a role in sexual arousal. Some beta-blockers
are: Lopressor, Coreg, Tenormin and Inderal.
Antihypertensive drugs
that have fewer reports of ED as a side effect are: alpha blockers, angiotensin
II receptor blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium
channel blockers.
