Cholesterol-lowering drugs could help improve erectile function.
A research team hopes these new findings will further encourage men who need statins to take them, both improving their love life and reducing their heart attack risk, an American College of Cardiology news release reported.
Erectile dysfunction is a common problem for older men, especially those suffering from cardiovascular risk factors commonly treated with statins. Past studies have suggested a negative correlation between statin therapy and testosterone levels.
The researchers looked at 11 randomized, controlled trials that measured erectile dysfunction. The team found a "statistically significant effect" of statins on erectile dysfunction in men who also suffered from high cholesterol.
"The increase in erectile function scores with statins was approximately one-third to one-half of what has been reported with drugs like Viagra, Cialis or Levitra," John B. Kostis, M.D., director of the Cardiovascular Institute and associate dean for Cardiovascular Research at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and the lead investigator of the study, said in the news release.
"It was larger than the reported effect of lifestyle modification," he said. "For men with erectile dysfunction who need statins to control cholesterol, this may be an extra benefit."
The researchers believe statins could help treat erectile dysfunction by helping blood vessels to properly dilate, allowing blood to flow more easily to the penis.
Statins are not recommended as a primary treatment for erectile dysfunction in patients with healthy cholesterol levels. Millions of Americans are prescribed statins to reduce heart attack risk, but many stop taking them or do not take the suggested dose. The researchers hope this study will encourage more men who need them to take the blood pressure lowering drugs.
"Erectile dysfunction affects an estimated 18 million to 30 million men and occurs more often in men over the age of 40. Common causes include heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use, depression and stress," the news release reported.
