(NAPSA)—Menwhoexperience erectile dysfunction (ED) are being encouraged to ask their doctors about being screened for diabetes and cardiovasculardisease. “ED is an under-recognized and under-discussed complication of diabetes,” states Dr. Ananda Basu, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. “What most patients don’t realize is that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among diabetics—and ED has been proven to be an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease.” ED is often associated with impaired blood flow. If a patient is experiencing ED, it can be speculated that the impaired blood flow could be problematic in other areas of the body, especially the heart. ED is especially common in diabetes, with approximately 35 percent to 75 percent of men having this complication. More alarming,a recently published study shows that hospitalization and death rates dueto diabetes-related heart attacks are increasing. In the decade-long New York City study, all causespecific death rates declined with the striking exception of diabetes, which actually increased 61 percent in men. “The amount of medical data concerning ED’s relationship to diabetes and coronary heart disease makes it critical for both physicians and patients to be educated about the causes of ED,” adds Dr. Ajay Nehra, a urologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. “Not only should diabetic patients with ED be screened for coronary heart disease, they should be treated by a multidisciplinary 2 aS See Your Doctor—Erectile Dys- function has been proven to be an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. medical team who can address the many health and lifestyle issues that diabetes presents—including urology, cardiology, endocrinology, nutritionists and behaviorists.” “The key, of course, is to prevent diabetes in thefirst place,” concludes Dr. Basu. “That comes downto lifestyle choices for adults and children—eating right and getting plenty of exercise. Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more teenagers being diagnosed with type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes. In males, that can lead to complications like ED when they are only in their 30s.” Not all diabetic men experiencing ED areat risk for cardiovascular disease, but the Erectile Dysfunction Institute recommends that patients take a proactive approachbyvisiting a cardiologist to explore risk factors. For more information, visit www.edcure.org and www.dia betes.org. Note to Editors: November is American Diabetes Awareness Month.
