Impotence link with hidden heart damage

IMPOTENCE may be an early sign of heart disease, and men over 40 should be screened, say researchers from Johns Hopkins Hospital and other U.S. centres.

An analysis of data from previous studies suggested cardiovascular symptoms appeared two to three years after erectile dysfunction. A process called atherosclerosis, where a sticky substance builds up inside arteries and reduces blood flow, has been implicated in both conditions, reported the journal Sexual Medicine Reviews.

Doctors should check men over 40 for erectile dysfunction, then signs of coronary artery disease, the researchers said.