Erectile dysfunction in high-risk hypertensive patients treated with beta-blockade agents

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a multifactorial disease related to age, vascular disease, psychological disorders, or medical treatments. Beta-blockade agents are the recommended treatment for hypertensive patients with some specific organ damage but have been outlined as one of leading causes of drug-related ED, although differences between beta-blockade agents have not been assessed.

Cross-sectional and observational study of hypertensive male subjects treated with any beta-blockade agent for at least 6 months. ED dysfunction was assessed by the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF).

1.007 patients, mean age 57.9 (10.59) years, were included. The prevalence of any category of ED was 71.0% (38.1% mild ED; 16.8% moderate ED; 16.1% severe ED). Patients with ED had longer time since the diagnosis of hypertension and higher prevalence of risk factors and comorbidities. The prevalence of ED increased linearly with age. ED patients received more medications and were more frequently treated with carvedilol and less frequently with nebivolol. Patients treated with nebivolol obtained higher scores in every parameter of the IIEF questionnaire. The multivariate analysis identified independent associations between ED and coronary heart disease (OR: 1.57), depression (OR: 2.25), diabetes (OR: 2.27), atrial fibrillation (OR: 2.59), and dyhidopiridines calcium channel blockers (OR: 1.76); treatment with nebivolol was associated to lower prevalence of ED (OR: 0.27).

ED is highly prevalent in hypertensive patients treated with beta-blockade agents. The presence of ED is associated with more extended organ damage and not to cardiovascular treatments, except for the lower prevalence in nebivolol-treated patients.