(Alice Park/ Time) — By now, most people are familiar with the factors that can increase the risk of having a heart attack: gaining too much weight, having high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels, smoking and not exercising enough.
In a study published Monday in the journal Circulation, researchers say they have documented another risk factor that could help identify men at greatest risk of heart problems: Among a group of 1,900 men aged 60 to 78, those with erectile dysfunction were twice as likely as men without the condition to have a heart attack, stroke, or die of a heart problem.
Around 20% of men over age 20 experience erectile dysfunction in the U.S., and the rates are higher among older men. The causes of the condition can vary and include stress-related psychological factors as well as physical and biological factors involving blood flow and nerves.
Previous studies have linked similar risk factors responsible for contributing to heart disease to erectile dysfunction as well, including obesity, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol lack of physical activity and smoking. (…)