[Erectile dysfunction as the first sign of systemic vascular diseases and of organovascular arterial ischemic diseases. Guidelines and Challenge of the Angiology section of Slovak Medical Chamber (AS SMC, 2015)]

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction is a highly prevalent and progressive condition affecting the quality of life of man and his sexual partner. Evidence is accumulating in favour of erectile dysfunction as a sign of a genitovascular disease (GVD) in the majority of patients. Erectile dysfunction may be considered as the clinical manifestation of a organovascular disease affecting penis (male genitovascular disease - MGVD) as well as angina pectoris is the typical manifestation of a vascular disease affecting coronary arteries of a heart (cardiovascular disease - CVD). Several studies confirm the assumption that erectile dysfunction symptoms were found to come prior to cardiovascular disease symptoms in 60-95 % of CVD patients with mean interval of 2-3 years and likewise of all organovascular diseases (OVD). Four potent selective PDE5Is have been approved by the EMA for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Physicians should systematically look for erectile dysfunction in any male with vascular risk factors.