Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Zekeriya Nurkalem gave the following information about how hypertension negatively affects both men and women sexually.
“While scientific findings report that women with high blood pressure are twice as likely to experience sexual dysfunction as women with normal blood pressure, advancing age and how long they have been suffering from hypertension further increase the risk of sexual dysfunction in women.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND MANAGE
Appropriate recognition and management of female sexual dysfunction in hypertensive women is of paramount importance, as female sexual dysfunction greatly affects the quality of life of patients and their sexual partners.
MAY CAUSE DEFECTS OF ERRECTION
Men with high blood pressure sometimes have trouble getting or maintaining an erection that is hard enough for sex. When a man is sexually aroused, the brain sends signals to the nerves in and around the penis. These nerves cause more blood to flow into the penis and the tissue and blood vessels to relax and open, making it harder for blood to flow into the penis.
However, having high blood pressure can damage these blood vessels in the body, including the blood vessels inside or to the penis. These vessels can become very narrow, meaning that not enough blood can flow through them, causing a lack of erections.
Men with hypertension are almost twice as likely to have impaired penile blood flow and erectile dysfunction compared to men with normal blood pressure, increasing their risk of heart disease and death.
Fortunately, a healthy lifestyle and medications are enough to improve your libido, blood pressure, and erection. If you are experiencing similar problems in your bedroom, do not neglect to consult your doctor.”