The Relationship between Systemic Hypertension and Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is well recognized as an aging-related disorder. Its prevalence and occurrence are similar to that seen in men with essential hypertension (EH). The most common cause of ED is vascular in origin, specifically corporal smooth muscle (CSM) dysfunction in which the CSM is unable to relax sufficiently enough to prevent the loss of blood from the corporal bodies. With EH, it is recognized that the arterial vessels of the systemic circulation become stiff and, like the vessels and sinusoids in the penis, are also unable to relax normally thereby resulting in an elevation of the systemic blood pressure. Since the smooth muscles both in the corporal sinusoids and in the media of the arterial vessels have a similar embryonic origin, it is logical to assume that the aging-related factors that affect the corporal tissue is the same that affect the smooth muscle and connective tissue within the media of the arterial system. This would explain the high prevalence of hypertension in men with ED and suggest that early prevention strategies for both ED and EH should be directed towards the smooth muscle and their supporting structures in each respective tissue.