As many as 20% of the men in the US suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED), which is also related cardiovascular and other diseases, including heart diseases. The number of visits to doctors rose by 50% since medication for the condition was introduced in 1998. The data available from the National Health and Nutrition Examinational Survey (NHANES) were analyzed by Christopher S. Saigal and his colleagues.
About 2,126 men aged over 20 years responded to this survey, and underwent the necessary physical examination, and answered the relevant questions. Those men who are unable to retain an erection for the purpose of sexual intercourse were categorized as those suffering from ED. The percentage of men suffering from ED between the age group of 20 and 29 years were 6.5%, and this percentage rose as a person grew older.Men who are of a Hispanic descent are reported to be more prone to ED than others. There are also other contributing factors to the condition like smoking, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Those suffering ED are likely to suffer from more severe heart problems and coronary diseases. These people also suffer from a very high cardiovascular risk. More research has to be made before it can be determined if all those who suffer from ED need to be screened for heart diseases.
