The prevalence of erectile dysfunction among hypertensive and prehypertensive men aged 25-40 years.
BACKGROUND
Erectile dysfunction (ED) and hypertension (HTN) are common and associated among men aged 40-70 years. Data on the prevalence of ED among younger hypertensive and prehypertensive men are limited.


OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of ED in a large-scale population of hypertensive and prehypertensive men aged 25-40 years.


METHODS
ED severity, systolic blood pressures (SBPs), diastolic blood pressures (DBPs), and mean arterial blood pressures (MAPs).


METHODS
Israel Defense Force personnel, aged 25 years and older, go through routine health checks at the Staff Periodic Health Examination Center (SPEC) every 3-5 years, including measuring blood pressure and completing the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) questionnaire in order to detect HTN and ED, respectively, and assess its severity. Pre-HTN was defined as SBP 120-139 mm Hg or DBP 80-89 mm Hg. HTN was defined as SBP >/or140 mm Hg and/or DBP >or=90 mm Hg.


RESULTS
During 2001-2004, an overall of 11,252 men, aged 25-40 years, reported to the SPEC, and 5,860 (52.1%) men filled out the SHIM questionnaire. Among responders to the SHIM questionnaire, 1,278 (21.8%) men had low scores (<or=21), suggesting ED. Overall, 3021 (51.6%) men had pre-HTN and 557 (9.5%) men had HTN. The prevalence of ED was similar among men with HTN, men with pre-HTN, and men with normal blood pressure: 22.9% vs. 21.3% vs. 22.3%, respectively. In addition, SBPs, DBPs, and MAPs were not associated with the SHIM scores among all men.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of ED is not increased among hypertensive and prehypertensive men compared with normotensive men aged 25-40 years. Moreover, higher blood pressures are not associated with worse erections among all men in this age group. Apparently, it takes years for HTN to cause ED.
Heruti
Rafi J
RJ
Reuth Medical Center-Rehabilitation, Tel-Aviv, Israel;. Electronic address: heruti@post.tau.ac.il.
Sharabi
Yehonatan
Y
Sheba Medical Center-Hypertension Clinic, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
Arbel
Yaron
Y
Sourasky Tel-Aviv Medical Center-The Department of Internal Medicine D, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Shochat
Tzipi
T
Israel Defense Force Medical Corps, Israel.
Swartzon
Michael
M
Sourasky Tel-Aviv Medical Center-The Department of Internal Medicine D, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Brenner
Galit
G
Israel Defense Force Medical Corps, Israel.
Justo
Dan
D
Sourasky Tel-Aviv Medical Center-The Department of Internal Medicine D, Tel-Aviv, Israel;; Israel Defense Force Medical Corps, Israel.
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires