(Undated) -- German researchers have found a solid link between men who suffer from erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular problems. Research shows men with erectile dysfunction, commonly referred to as "ED," are twice as likely to die from heart attacks and other heart problems than men who do not have the ailment. While researchers have believed in the past that a connection between ED and heart problems was likely, the latest findings are evidence of an increased risk for men. Some cardiologists believe that because arteries in the penis are smaller than those around the heart, atherosclerosis appears to cause erectile dysfunction three to four years before showing up around the heart. Some physicians are now concerned that men who are prescribed Viagra or Cialis for their erectile dysfunction may not return to the doctor for cardionvascular treatment. The German researchers studied more than 15-hundred men from 13 countries who were taking part in a drug study for cardiovascular disease. The results of the test were released Monday in "Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association."
