High blood pressure (hypertension) is a very common condition for men as they get older, and so is erectile dysfunction. But, while these two conditions seem to be about two totally different things, the connection between them may be much stronger than you think.
Below, we will cover just how many men are dealing with both conditions, how high blood pressure can affect erection health, review the factor of medications and ED, and give you some guidance on getting adequate ED treatment when you also have high blood pressure.
When looking at populations of men with and without high blood pressure, it has been found that those with hypertension had about twice the prevalence of erectile dysfunction over those that maintain their blood pressure in a normal range.
One large-scale registry of men with high-risk high blood pressure found that 71% reported erectile dysfunction, although, for the majority, the severity of the ED was mild or moderate.
High blood pressure is not some stand-alone condition that doesn’t have trickle-down effects on other organs and tissues. In fact, long-term high blood pressure takes a huge toll on your vessels and can lead to widespread health consequences ranging from eye problems, kidney damage, or, yes, even erectile dysfunction.
When your vessels are constantly dealing with more pressure than they were designed to handle, they become damaged. Specifically, long-term high blood pressure can lead to the hardening and narrowing of your arteries. This physical change in your vessels could translate into worsened blood flow and a decreased ability to release dilating factors (nitric oxide) from your vessels.
It is clear that if long-term erectile health is important to you, keeping your blood pressure within normal limits should be a priority.
One of the best ways that you can help get high blood pressure under control fast is by taking a blood pressure medication and using it as prescribed by your doctor.
The goal with treatment is to quickly regulate your blood pressure to help prevent any (or any more) vascular or organ damage from the elevated pressure. Even if you feel the same with or without treatment, know that you are helping to prevent damage in the long term, and compliance is important. However, it is wise to also pair high blood pressure medications with strategies like healthy eating and regular exercise to get blood pressure levels in check.
We know that reducing your blood pressure to normal levels is a good way to help avoid or reduce erectile vessel damage over time. However, some blood pressure medications may come along with some erectile issues of their own. While blood pressure treatment is very important and should not be avoided due to erection concerns, if this is an issue for you, there may be certain classes of blood pressure medications that are a better fit for you than others.
High blood pressure medication classes like some beta-blockers and diuretics (water pills) may deliver additional challenges when ED is concerned. You may be able to speak with your doctor about sticking with or switching to other blood pressure medication classes if you have noticed a negative influence of these medications as it affects your ED.
Luckily, there are many blood pressure medications to choose from, so no one should go without treatment simply on the basis of ED concerns. Untreated high blood pressure will almost always be much worse for your erectile in the long term than any blood pressure medication. Be open and honest with your doctor about any erectile concerns and they can help select the best medication for you to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Step one of treating your ED when you have high blood pressure is maintaining compliance to your high blood pressure treatments and general healthy lifestyle practices.
Aside from that, there are ED medications that are safe for use in many men that also have hypertension. PDE-5 inhibitors are the most common medications for ED, and include medications like sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra). These medications may make it easier to achieve and maintain an erection for a few hours to days after using them, depending on the one selected for you.
Many men with high blood pressure who are otherwise healthy can effectively and safely use PDE-5 inhibitors to reduce their ED symptoms. Although, for those with severe cardiovascular disease, difficulty urinating, or that have other urinary tract problems. These medications also cannot be used in men who are using nitrate medications due to a severe and dangerous hypotensive effect when used together.
If you have high blood pressure and are also dealing with erectile dysfunction symptoms, you can speak with your doctor about appropriate treatment options for you.
Here at Strut, we offer easy and discreet questionnaire-based telemedicine consultations to see if ED medications are a good option for you.
We offer affordable options like Sildenafil (generic Viagra) and Tadalafil (generic Cialis) in a variety of dosages to fit your needs.
If you are interested in seeing if one of these medications is a good fit for you, you can have a free online consultation with our U.S. licensed doctors in under 15 minutes. If they find that you are a good candidate for treatment, your medication will be shipped to your front door with our free shipping.
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