Sexual dysfunction as an obstacle to compliance with antihypertensive therapy

Sexual dysfunction has been identified in numerous controlled trials to be a frequent accompaniment to antihypertensive therapy. Issues of cause and effect are confused because hypertension itself can cause sexual dysfunction. It seems probable, however, that use of certain classes of blood pressure-lowering agents, notably non-cardioselective beta blockers such as propranolol, thiazide diuretics such as chlorthalidone and centrally-acting adrenergic agonists, is associated with an increased risk of sexual dysfunction. The implications of these data for compliance with antihypertensive therapy are considered.