Erectile dysfunction as a predictor of vascular disease

The origin of impotence

Erectile dysfunction is a vascular process, in which the blood has trouble reaching the two corpora cavernosa of the penis that are filled with thousands of vessels that are filled with blood during erection.

Therefore, the causes of erectile dysfunction or impotence usually derived mainly from vascular problems, such as hypertension, diabetes or obesity.

In many cases, erectile dysfunction is a symptom that predicts a vascular disease. Many patients come to the urology clinic because of erectile dysfunction, and the Urologist specialist performs a general study that can detect cardiovascular or metabolic abnormality up to 4 years before it manifests.

Psychological component in erectile dysfunction

It is generally believed that erectile dysfunction is related to psicológicosl patient's problems, but actually more than 90% of cases of impotence are due to natural causes. The psychological component in these patients is a consequence of lack of erection.

The psychological component is often be decisive only in cases of very young patients.

Erectile Dysfunction Treatment

When the patient comes to consult urology because of erectile dysfunction, the first step is to make an overall assessment of the patient. After identifying the previous pathologies of the patient and identify the cause of the vascular problem, treatment options are valued.

In most cases, the patient should change their lifestyle to treat vascular problem (more exercise, quitting snuff and try to lose weight), and add a drug treatment. If the drugs do not work, we resort to other treatments according to each specific case, such as intracavernous injections, penile prosthesis or shock waves, among others.

Shockwaves for erectile dysfunction

The shock waves of low energy in the penis are a new treatment to combat erectile dysfunction with good results. These waves produce an improvement in vascularization of the corpora cavernosa through stimulation of specific growth factors.

The improvement with this treatment is very significant, especially if the patient performs a healthier life style that reduces vascular problems.

Living habits to avoid impotence

In a patient with a problem like erectile dysfunction, the urologist should make an overall assessment of it and advise the following guidelines to reverse its vascular problems.

• You must first go to a review by a cardiologist or angiologist, to analyze thoroughly the vascular patient characteristics
• It is important that the patient perform physical exercise to improve overweight or obese
• Keep track of your eating habits, especially the consumption of saturated fats, salt and sugar.