Article

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is associated with cardiovascular risk factors as
elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), resting high heart rate (HR), and
endothelial dysfunction and predicts cardiovascular events. However, the
interaction between high HR and SBP and the development of ED remains unclear.
RESULTS: We evaluated 1015 male patients enrolled in the ED substudy
of ONTARGET and TRANSCEND, examining the influence of mean HR and mean SBP
obtained over all study visits (mean 10.9+/-1.4 study visits) and their
interaction with ED. In patients without pre-existing ED, new onset ED was
detected in 29% of patients below, and 41% of patients above, the median of mean
HR (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.8-2.5, p = 0.0047). In patients with pre-existing ED, high
HR had no add-on effect. With or without pre-existing ED, high SBP had no
influence after adjustment for covariates (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.66-1.59, p = 0.91).
In a continuous model, it was shown that effects of high HR were prominent at low
Kolner (Cologne) Evaluation of Erectile Function (KEED) score baseline values and
in the presence of SBP above the median. CONCLUSIONS: In patients at risk for
cardiovascular events, high HR is associated with ED, whereas the effect of high
SBP was not significant. High resting HR might represent a cardiovascular risk
indicator. Whether HR represents a potential treatment target to improve ED in
high-risk individuals must be scrutinized in prospective trials.

Langue : ANGLAIS