Most men with erectile dysfunction at high risk of heart attack

According to new data presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology (WCC) Scientific Sessions in Beijing, China, seven out of 10 men admitted to hospital for a heart attack (acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)) had erectile dysfunction (ED) in the six months prior to their admission.

The study developed by a team at University of Malay Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, suggests that patients with evidence of ED should be considered to be of very high risk for development of future acute coronary syndromes. Moreover, men who are not sexually active should also be closely assessed as a quarter of them have complete ED which warrants treatment and this may also be a harbinger for coronary artery disease.