Erectile dysfunction might signal more than a need for the little purple pill, researchers said in a study showing a link with heart disease and early death. The Australian study - the world's largest investigating links between erection problems and heart disease - suggested erection problems could act as a warning sign of more serious health issues.
"The risks of future heart disease and premature death increased steadily with severity of erectile dysfunction," whether or not there was a history of cardiovascular disease, study director Emily Banks said.
Previous studies had found ties between severe erection problems and heart attacks and strokes, but this study was the first to also include mild and moderately severe erection problems.
"These results tell us that every man who is suffering from any degree of erectile dysfunction should be seeking medical assistance as early as possible and also insisting on a heart health check by their GP at the same time," said Rob Grenfell, Cardiovascular Health director at Australia's Heart Foundation.
The study, published this week in the "PLOS Medicine" journal, followed 95,000 men aged 45 and older for two to three years.
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