This information has been reprinted courtesy of the Erectile Dysfunction Information Center (www.erectile-dysfunction-treatment.org) for personal use only.

Heart Disease and Vascular Disease
Can Cause Impotence

The facts are clear. Restoration of erectile function is possible for almost all men--even those for whom Viagra does not work. Understanding this, a national coalition of ED specialists set out to solve this epidemic of ignorance and unresolved male impotence.

Calling themselves the Erectile Dysfunction Information Center, this network of experienced doctors and nurses created an informational comprehensive website for men with ED and their partners.

On these pages you can read an overview of male impotence, learn about its causes and many treatment options, and obtain sound advice about relationships.

Impotence, or erectile dysfunction (ED), is the inability to achieve or maintain a firm erection. Two of the most common causes of impotence are heart disease and vascular disease.

Heart disease and vascular disease can damage blood vessels and interfere with blood flow to the penis. For example, one study found that men treated for heart disease had a 39% chance of complete erectile dysfunction. (Click Heart Disease and Vascular Disease for more information about the link to impotence.)

If you have heart disease or vascular disease and are impotent, you are not alone. About one in every ten men has ED or some degree of impotence. Because it’s so common, medical science has been busy developing treatments for ED. Today, nearly every man who has impotence can be helped. (Click here to learn about impotence treatments.)

Every treatment has pros and cons. Viagra® is a very patient-friendly treatment, for example, yet it commonly fails in 30-40% of the men who try it.

At the other end of the treatment spectrum, a penile implant provides a solution for almost all patients--including those with heart disease or vascular disease--but does require a 45-minute surgical procedure.

If you have impotence due to heart disease or vascular disease, the best advice is to see a urologist who is experienced in treating impotence. These physicians understand the relationship between vascular and heart disease and impotence. They have up-to-date knowledge and experience in the latest treatments.

Also, make sure that you involve your partner in any discussion with the doctor regarding your impotence and its treatment. Your partner's sexual satisfaction is at stake, too.

Impotence due to heart disease or vascular disease can be challenging. But today, modern technology is giving men back what many thought they had lost forever—a satisfying intimate relationship.