title: Sexual health of male cardiac patients - present status and expectations of patients with coronary heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the pathogenetic association between erectile disorders and cardiovascular diseases, cardiologists consult many patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim of the study was to evaluate sexual function in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and the use of sexual knowledge in cardiology practice, both current use and that expected by patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand one hundred and thirty-six patients (average age: 60.73 ±9.20) underwent a dedicated survey which encompassed demographic data and the presence of modifiable ED risk factors. The presence of ED was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sexual problems were discussed by cardiologists with 45 (3.96%) patients. The frequency of initiating the topic was significantly associated with the respondents' education level (p= 0.0031); however, it was not associated with the patients' age, duration of CHD, presence of ED, or modifiable risk factors. Four hundred and sixteen (36.62%) respondents indicated that they expect their cardiologist to take an interest in their ED. Nine hundred and twenty-six (81.51%) patients claimed good sexual function to be important or very important to them. Attitude to sexual function was significantly associated with age (p< 0.0001), duration of CHD (p= 0.0018), education (p= 0.0011), presence of ED (p= 0.0041), diabetes (p= 0.0283) and hyperlipidaemia (p= 0.0014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low frequency with which cardiologists initiate the topic of ED is in contrast to the expectations of patients with CHD. The majority of these patients regard good sexual maintenance as an important part of their life.
authors.affiliation: Cardiosexology Unit, Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland; Center of Men's Health, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kałka
authors.affiliation: Center of Men's Health, Wroclaw, Poland; Center of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation CREATOR, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Karpiński
authors.affiliation: Center of Men's Health, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gebala
authors.affiliation: Cardiosexology Unit, Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Lesław
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rusiecki
authors.affiliation: Cardiosexology Unit, Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biełous-Wilk
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Lower Silesian Heart Diseases Centre "Medinet", Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Krauz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Centre of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Cardiac Prevention, Glucholazy, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piłot
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior, Glucholazy, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Womperski
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Gynaecologic Oncology, Medical University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rusiecka
authors.affiliation: Cardiosexology Unit, Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Witold
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pilecki
keywords: cardiac rehabilitation; cardiologist; cardiosexology; coronary heart disease; erectile dysfunction; risk factors