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With more than 600,000 annual deaths, heart disease remains the most common cause of death in the US. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease beats out cancer, accidents, and breathing issues. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, relates to heart disease and affects almost one in four US adults. What many people don’t know is the correlation between high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction.
We often get the question “does high blood pressure cause ED?” In this article, we will go over the answer to this question and provide information about blood flow, blood pressure, and men’s sexual health.
Does High Blood Pressure Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
Yes, high blood pressure causes erectile dysfunction (ED) for some men. But there is more to it than that. Hypertension causes all of your body’s organs and tissues to slow down and additional strain to perform every day functions. Roughly 30% of men with hypertension also experience ED. Hypertension is both directly and indirectly responsible for these issues.
High Blood Pressure and Your Blood Flow
When your blood flows naturally, you can have healthy erections. Natural arousal leads to increased blood flow to your penis causing an erection. This process becomes more difficult with high blood pressure. In this case, the blood vessels narrow, slowing its natural flow. Not only does hypertension raise your risk of a stroke or heart attack, it also complicates erections. At this point getting or maintaining erections may become a challenge – this is ED.
High Blood Pressure and Your Male Sex Drive
Testosterone is one of the key hormones responsible for sex drive, especially for men. High blood pressure can lead to a decline in blood flow and thus a decline in the delivery of testosterone throughout your body. With lower testosterone levels, men will become less interested in sex and performance as well as having difficulty getting and maintaining erections.
High Blood Pressure and Your Sexual Performance
Lastly, high blood pressure can impact your sexual performance. With your narrowed blood vessels, the penis gets less blood flow making it difficult to get and maintain an erection. It also makes physical exercise more of a challenge. Due to sex being a physically demanding exercise, you may experience difficulty in continuing.
Getting Help with Your ED from Understanding Medical Professionals
As you can see, high blood pressure is no good for your body. It complicates your overall health and leads some men to experience ED. Erectile dysfunction does not have to be a lifelong condition. Working with the medical professionals at Preferred Men’s Medical Center can help you live a healthier, happier life with fewer sexual problems. Give us a call today to chat through your unique problems.