PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS FOR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AMONG MALE HYPERTENSIVES AT LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Erectile Dysfunction(ED) has been reported to
be common among hypertensive male
patients. Several reasons have been advanced
f o r t h i s o b s e r v a t i o n . A g e - r e l a t e d
atherosclerosis is more severe in hypertensive
patients compared to normotensive adults.
This tend to compromise penile blood flow
leading to ED. Other cardiovascular event risk
factors have also been implicated. The study
was aimed at determining the prevalence and
risk factors to ED in a cohort of male patients
with high blood pressure who were controlled
on regular anti-hypertensive medications
METHODOLOGY
The study was a cross-sectional study of 101
male patients with high blood pressure who
were controlled on regular anti-hypertensive
medication. A questionnaire was used to obtain
relevant information such as-sociodemographic
data, duration of hypertensive
status, history of diabetes mellitus, history of
alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, antihypertensive
medication, evidence of LVH on
ECG and the International Index of Erectile
Function(IIEF-5) scores, were obtained from
the participants. The data obtained was
subjected to relevant statistical analyses.
RESULTS
The patients were between the ages of 39 to
78years with a mean age of 57.34± 9.9. 82% of
the subjects had ED of varying degrees. The
mean IIEF-5 score was significantly lower in the
older age groups (<0.001). The older age
groups had a significantly higher prevalence of
ED compared to the younger age groups
(p=0.041). Patients with longer duration of
hypertension had a significantly lower mean
IIEF-5 scores compared with patients with
hypertension duration of <5years. There was a
negative correlation between age and IIEF-5
scores of the subjects (r=-0.422, p=0.001). Age
and duration of hypertension were significant
independent predictors of ED in the subjects
(OR =18.2, p=0.026 and OR=12.7, p=0.009
respectively).
CONCLUSION
Erectile Dysfunction is common among adult
hypertensive Nigerians who were controlled on
regular antihypertensive medications.
Advancing age and longer duration of
hypertension are independent predictors of ED
in hypertensive patients.