【Hyperlipidemia and ED】
Fat, it mainly means cholesterol. I guess many of you have heard the way of talking about cholesterol as being good or bad. Hyperlipidemia has been in an impregnable position as a middle-aged and elderly lifestyle disease, the same as hypertension and diabetes. Considering hyperlipidemia is a risk-factor of arteriosclerosis, we’d be better think that it’s a risk-factor for ED, too.
According to the research result in foreign countries, the increase of the total cholesterol value was seen in 26% of the ED patients. Moreover, according to another research which followed 3250 patients with lipid disorder, as for the group with a total cholesterol value >240(mg/dl), it was 1.8 times more likely to develop ED than in the group with a total cholesterol value <180(mg/dl). Also for the group with HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) at a value > 60, the risk of ED was 0.3 times more than the group with <30.
It seems to be obvious by seeing these results from foreign countries, but actually, according to the research in Japan, there is no result of the cholesterol’s having a bad influence on ED, even if it was investigated in the same issues as mentioned above.
As for Japanese, the Lipid disorder may not be always a risk factor of developing ED. However, there is a report that the IIEF erection function score significantly improved when administrating hyperlipidemia curative (Atorvastatin) for the ED patients for whom the risk-factor of ED was only the total cholesterol value. Moreover, it is said that there is a possibility that hyperlipidemia curatives itself (Statins and Fibrates) could be a cause of drug-induced ED. It sounds a little complicated as the hyperlipidemia itself can be a risk-factor of developing ED and also the curative can be a cause of drug-induced ED, doesn’t it?
Whichever it is, you can’t have hyperlipidemia which is the risk-factor for arteriosclerosis, so to control the cholesterol in the appropriate value is really important. The ED curatives such as Viagra, Levitra, Cialis and so on can be taken during the medication for Hyperlipidemia, so please don’t hesitate to ask us.
【Supervisor of this article】
Ken Takemori, MD. An anesthesiologist and Director of Shibuya 3rd Block Clinic.
