Cardiovascular risk factors in men with ischemic heart disease and erectile dysfunction

Objective: To study the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in men with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and erectile dysfunction (ED). Methods: We studied cardiovascular risk factors in men with IHD and ED, who undergo coronary angiography. All men filled the Sexual Health Inventory for Males questionnaire (SHIM). SHIM questionnaire scores between 17 and 21 represented mild ED. SHIM questionnaire scores of 16 or lower represented significant ED. Cardiovascular risk factors included the following: age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤30%, and 3-vessel disease. Binary regression analysis was used to study which cardiovascular risk factors were independently associated with ED. Results: The study included 171 men. Mean age was 64.2 ± 12.6 years. Overall, 61 men (35.7%) had mild ED and 80 men (46.8%) had significant ED. More than half of men (n = 101; 59.1%) had 3 or more cardiovascular risk factors. Age was the only cardiovascular risk factor independently associated with significant ED (odds ratio 1.154; 95% confidence interval 1.081-1.232; P <.0001). No cardiovascular risk factors were independently associated with mild ED. Conclusion: ED and its cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent in men with IHD. However, only age is independently associated with significant ED in this population.