Sex and the Heart Erectile Dysfunction's Link to Cardiovascular Disease

Analyzing a dysfunction that affects nearly half of all men in the United States between the ages of 40 and 70, this study presents the most current information on erectile dysfunction (ED). Confronting the all-too-popular conception that ED is an isolated problem, this overview reveals that erectile dysfunction can in fact be a symptom of underlying cardiovascular disease. Based on 20 years of medical experience, this investigation explains the importance of a proper evaluation, depending on specific symptoms. Ideal treatments are also covered, including Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, penile injections and implants, testosterone gels, intraurethral medications, vacuum pumps, and constriction rings.

Christopher P. Steidle, MD, is a board-certified urologist in private practice at Northeast Indiana Urology and a clinical associate professor of urology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. A consultant and lecturer on sexual dysfunction and prostate disease, he is the author of The Impotence Source Book and Testosterone: A User’s Manual. Janet Casperson, ANP-C, is a board-certified nurse practitioner at Northeast Indiana Urology, where she currently directs the sexual health and penile rehabilitation programs. She has treated patients for cardiovascular disease and sexual dysfunction for more than 20 years and has served as a consultant to numerous sexual health clinics across the United States. They both live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. John J. Mulcahy, MD, is a professor of urology at the University of Indiana. He received his undergraduate training at Holy Cross College and completed his medical degree at Georgetown University. Dr. Mulcahy is the president of the Society for the Study of Impotence and the cochairman of the Sexual Function Council of the American Foundation for Urologic Diseases. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana.