Failure to seek help for ED could prevent detection of underlying cardiovascular disease

Research carried out by a visiting professor at the University of Hertfordshire has found that up to six million European men fail to seek help for Erectile Dysfunction (ED) which could result in underlying cardiovascular disease going undetected.

According to Professor Mike Kirby, a Visiting Professor at the University's  Health and Human Sciences Research Institute, who has just published a paper in The Journal for Sexual Medicine, ED is a highly prevalent condition affecting more than half of men of over forty, of which under thirty per cent seek help, leaving the majority untreated.

In his research paper entitled: Characteristics, Behaviours, and Attitudes of Men Bypassing the Healthcare System When Obtaining Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors, Professor Kirby describes how he and his co-researchers conducted a large observational study among 11,889 subjects across Europe to assess how sexually active men in the general population obtained a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5is), which is the first-line treatment option for ED.

They found that three out of ten men who use a PDE5i obtained it without interaction with a healthcare provider and accessed it via unregulated Internet sites.

"Our research indicates that in Europe approximately six million men may be currently bypassing the healthcare system to obtain a PDE5i," said Professor Kirby. "They not only expose themselves to the risks of using unapproved and uncontrolled products, but also miss important information on product use and contraindications. Furthermore, they miss the opportunity to receive appropriate health information regarding the importance of medical follow-up for unrecognised cardiovascular disease often seen in combination with ED."