Heart risk may kill the mood, on Valentines Day and beyond

With cardiovascular disease rates set to soar, we can expect to flounder in the bedroom

Not to put a damper on things, but as you contemplate the perfect Valentine's Day meal and seek out a range of aphrodisiacs, you might want to look beyond the day for satisfying sexual intimacy. It's not usually something that's openly talked about until many hit an age where they watch those TV ads for the little blue pills with a little more curiosity. But there's no doubt about it: sexual dysfunction is sure to be on the rise - and not just for old men.

The recent Heart and Stroke Foundation's 2010 Annual Report on Canadians' Health pointed to a predicted increased incidence of cardiovascular disease due to the soaring rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyles and smoking in unexpected groups, like younger adults and women. But it didn't point out another condition that's likely to occur well before a heart attack or stroke: sexual dysfunction.

In men, it's known as erectile dysfunction or ED. The incidence rises with increasing age and is thought to affect up to one third of men throughout their lives. Though there are a range of causes for sexual dysfunction including psychosocial factors like depression, a bounty of scientific evidence is pointing to the very same culprits that boost the odds of developing cardiovascular disease. And considering the expected spike in cardiovascular disease, there's no reason to anticipate that the same won't occur with ED.

Many of the warnings about heart health appear to be falling on deaf ears. Cardiovascular disease is simply not a concern for many young people. But for young to middle-aged men, it may be a wise idea to note that the same lifestyle habits linked to unhealthy arteries predispose men to ED. So is a man-sized burger really what a man wants on a regular basis? Think about it this way: those hard-to-resist bargains at fast food restaurants may lead to shrinking value elsewhere.

In an Italian study, researchers looked at whether ED is actually a symptom or a disease itself. In many cases, the condition appeared to be the first symptom of undiagnosed health problems. When the scientists investigated apparently healthy men with ED, they found that almost 15 percent had elevated fasting blood sugar readings - something they were unaware of. In almost 20 percent of those with a type of ED linked to a healthy blood supply, abnormal electrocardiograms were found in the absence of any other symptoms for heart disease. According to the researchers, finding the root cause of the erectile problem - for example diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease - and then treating it, was part of the remedy for the ED.

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