Erectile dysfunction can be quite an embarrassing condition men simply refuse to talk about. The affected individuals may even refuse to visit their doctors. What they do not known is that the problem may be associated with some medications they are taking for other conditions they are suffering from. For instance, some antihypertensive drugs may trigger erectile dysfunction. But no matter what the underlying cause of the problem is, all men facing difficulty achieving and maintaining erection sufficient enough to have sexual intercourse are due to consult their health care providers in order to be helped.
High Blood Pressure and Erectile Dysfunction
It is true that certain medications prescribed in order to reduce and control hypertension may be responsible for erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is actually a side effect of these drugs. This is the reason why some men immediately discontinue their therapy once they notice such adverse effect. This is not wise. It is better to consult the doctor who will opt for another drug not having this side effect and adjust the treatment so that patients can achieve correction of high blood pressure and preserve the ability to achieve erection.
Diuretics and beta blockers are shown to cause erectile dysfunction. Diuretics are used for elimination of excess of water from the body while beta blockers have different mechanism of action but the same adverse effect. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic capable of causing erectile dysfunction. As for beta blockers, the most common drug causing such problem is atenolol.High Blood Pressure Drugs not Associated with Erectile Dysfunction
Certain groups of antihypertensive medications generally do not cause erectile dysfunction. They include ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors, alpha blockers, calcium channel blockers and ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers).
As for ACE inhibitors, these drugs may be blamed for erectile dysfunction only in 1% of patients, which is negligible. Furthermore, alpha blockers have even managed to improve erectile dysfunction in some individuals. Finally, ARBs never cause erectile dysfunction. On contrary, these drugs are highly efficient when it comes to improving sexual function in men suffering from hypertension.Treatment Adjustment
Men who have recently started taking drugs for high blood pressure and have developed erectile dysfunction are due to consult their doctors and discuss treatment adjustment and replacement of the currently prescribed drug.
No one should discontinue medications without consulting a well experienced doctor. This may cause serious complications.
Finally, if patients are suffering from erectile dysfunction which has no connection to drugs they are taking, doctor may suggest several different treatments for this condition and eventually, together with patients, opt for the most convenient one.
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