The numerous researches proved a thesis of the connection between the erectile dysfunction (ED) and atherosclerosis risk factors. The special part among the risk factors plays the low physical activity, which, due to rapid development of civilization, makes a serious problem concerning mainly the well-developed countries.
The aim of the study: Bearing in mind the fact of the physical activity influence on physical capacity and ED intensity, was an analysis of ED intensity in the population of patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and the evaluation of the relations connecting quality of erection with physical activity and physical capacity.
Material and methods: The analysis concerned 207 men with IHD at the age of 61-71 years (the mean: 66.77 +/- 2.63 years), treated invasively (163--PTCA, 44--CABG). All the men were professionally inactive for 3.23 +/- 2.12 years. All of them were in the relationships with the same partner for many years. The inclusion criteria were: a correctly filled questionnaire IIEF-5 (all categories), a Framingham questionnaire and ECG treadmill test assessed as a negative one.
Results: The erectile dysfunction was recognized when in the questionnaire IIEF-5 the total number of points was < or =21. A parameter of an exercise test subjected to evaluation was the value of metabolic equivalent (MET) and analyzed parameter from the Framingham questionnaire was activity intensity in free from work time (MET/h). In the analyzed group of 207 patients with IHD, the erectile dysfunction showed 71.5% of the population. The average value obtained for the examined IHD patients from the IIEF-5 questionnaire was 14.05 +/- 7.40. Taking into account the number of obtained in the questionnaire points, the patients with ED were divided into four categories: severe--29.5% of the whole group, medium-severe--8.2% of population, medium--20.8% of population and moderate--13% of the IHD population. The effort test and the analysis of Framingham questionnaire revealed information about physical capacity and physical activity of particular patients with IHD. The analysis of dependence between physical capacity and quality of erection conducted for the group of patients with IHD showed the lack of statistically significant correlation between these parameters (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.013). The analysis of dependence between physical activity and quality of erection showed statistically significant correlation between these parameters (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.781). Considering the dependence of results on the credibility of data from the IIEF-5 chart, the last element was the analysis of 'truthfulness test', which did not show any statistically significant difference between the results from the first and the next questionnaire.
Conclusions: High everyday physical activity is significantly connected with the decreasing erectile dysfunction intensity and its evaluation may be a simple method allowing preliminary qualification of the patient to the group being at higher risk. The physical capacity presented by the patients with IHD is not significantly associated with quality of erection.