Cardiac disease is the number one killer of American men. Men over age 40 who have erectile dysfunction (ED) are 52 times more likely get heart disease, according to SIU urologist Dr. Tobias Köhler, a specialist in men’s sexual health. “ED predates a man’s first heart attack by about 3-5 years,” Dr. Köhler says.

Plaque build-up in the vessels of the penis will eventually occur in the vessels supporting the heart. “If I run tests and find very low blood flow, I immediately send him to the cardiologist,” Dr. Köhler says. “I know that if he has low blood flow to the penis, he’s at a greater risk for cardiac event.”

ED a very serious, frightening topic for most men. A man may not seek treatment for problems with an erection due to embarrassment, but studies also show that most believe that the issue is a normal consequence of aging.

Dr. Köhler disagrees: “It’s not normal, and it is a problem if a man can’t get an erection, because death may be coming soon in the form of a heart attack,” Dr. Köhler says.

Read aspects 34-3 to learn more about Dr. Köhler and his work on ED-cardiac connection.

-rb