If you have high blood pressure, you may also be suffering from an issue no man wants to talk about: erectile dysfunction. High blood pressure and ED are common, but you do have reason to celebrate. ED is common in men with high blood pressure, and there are a lot of ways to treat the issue.
You do have hope that your sex life will be back to normal following the right treatment.
Does High Blood Pressure Cause ED?
Yes. When a person has ED, doctors will work on lowering their blood pressure levels. Blood pressure ED may be able to be treated through simple lifestyle changes, but there are others who would rather take blood pressure medications.
But, this is a big issue, too.
Blood Pressure Medication Side Effects
Medications also have side effects, and these side effects are often worse than the condition in the first place. The side effects of some of these BP medications is erectile dysfunction. A reported 70% of men that suffer from side effects relating to their medication stop taking the medication.
I don’t recommend doing this.
Talk to your doctor about the side effects you’re suffering from and get the issue under control medically.
The most common side effects from blood pressure medications are:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Nervousness
- Lack of energy
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Rashes
- Weight loss
And of course, erection problems are also a major side effect of BP meds…
Does Viagra Lower Blood Pressure?
When men find that their blood pressure medication is the cause of their ED, many will question whether or not Viagra lowers blood pressure. It’s a valid question because we know that to treat erectile dysfunction, a person often has to lower their blood pressure.
Viagra is known to work in 15 – 30 minutes, and there is some evidence that these pills can:
- Stop heart thickening
- Prevent early-stage heart failure
Sildenafil citrate is the main ingredient in Viagra, and it’s this ingredient that blocks PDE5, which prevents smooth muscle relaxation.
Viagra will lower blood pressure, but not significantly.
You don’t want to use this ED supplement instead of your medication. In fact, you’ll want to consult with your doctor before taking Viagra when on BP meds because nitrates can cause severe side effects when mixed with Viagra.
In most cases, it’s safe to take Viagra and blood pressure medications but always consult with your doctor first.
Do Blood Pressure Meds Cause ED?
We know that high blood pressure and ED are linked, but can your medications be causing ED problems in the first place? Yes. To understand this, you need to know the different types of BP medications:
- Diuretics
- Beta-blockers
- ACE inhibitors
- ARBs
- Calcium channel blockers
- Alpha-blockers
- Centrally acting drugs
- Vasodilators
- Renin inhibitors
All of these medicines will work differently to lower blood pressure. The two that are the most common culprits of blood pressure ED issues are:
- Diuretics. Also known as water pills, diuretics assist the kidneys in the removal of sodium. Sodium is held in the blood vessels, causing fluid retention. Diuretics help flush salt, or sodium, out of the body so that the blood vessels don’t hold fluid and blood pressure levels decrease.
- Beta-blockers. Beta-blockers work to control the beat of your heart, and this type of medication will slow your heart rate and cause it to beat with less force.
Statistics suggest that 25% of all ED is caused by medication, so it’s not unrealistic to think that the medication you’re taking can be a contributor to your ED. Diuretics and beta-blockers both decrease the blood flow to your penis.
An interesting fact to note is that there is some evidence that the ED issues are psychological in nature. The European Heart Journal suggests that when ED wasn’t mentioned as a side effect of a beta-blocker, only 3% of men suffered from the condition. But when ED was mentioned as a side effect, nearly 33% of men suffered from ED.
So, this is evidence that while medications can cause ED to occur, there’s also a chance it’s our brains playing tricks on us.
The reason that these medications may cause ED is that they’re reducing the fluid levels in your body. And when these levels are reduced, blood flow to the penis may also be reduced, leading to erection problems.
This can occur with a lot of the top BP meds:
- Lasix
- Lopressor
- Clorpress
- Atenolol
- Levatol
- Sectral
The good news is that there are ample medications that will treat your blood pressure and shouldn’t cause you to have erectile dysfunction issues in the process.
What is the Best BP Medication for ED?
If you have a choice, you’ll want to discuss your medication with your doctor and ask for one that doesn’t cause ED. Of course, if you do suffer from ED after taking medication, you can bring it to your doctor’s attention and ask for one of the many alternative medicines available.
There are a lot to choose from, but the best options for medications that are not known to cause ED are:
- ACE Inhibitors
- Alpha Blockers
- ARBs
- Calcium channel blockers
The most common brand names that fall within these categories are:
- Amlodipine
- Cardura
- Capoten
- Cozaar
- Diovan
- Diltiazem
- Losartan
- Lotensin
- Prinivil
- Verapamil
You’ll want to research all of these medications for yourself and see which one your doctor recommends. You can always ask your doctor for a specific brand, but you will want to listen to your doctor’s orders.
You may have a condition or may be taking a medication that will not mix well with one of the medications above.
Alpha blockers tend to work best and are least likely to cause ED. These medications work by reducing nerve impulses to your blood vessels. When the nerve impulses are reduced, blood will flow more easily into the blood vessels.
If the issue persists and you still have ED, your doctor may recommend a combination of medications that will keep your blood pressure under control while also lowering your risk of erectile dysfunction.
Cardura has been studied for its erectile dysfunction benefits. One study, conducted after two years of use, found that men had a 100% improvement in ED after taking the medication. ACE inhibitors have a less than 1% risk of causing ED, so this is also a great option if you want to avoid problems in the bedroom.
ARBs are a great option because they may help sexual function along with being highly unlikely to cause erection problems.
Cozaar studies show that 75% of men started with erectile dysfunction when starting the medication, but after 12 weeks, this figure dropped to just 12%,
Everyone’s body is different, but it may take just a small medication change for you to be able to get your erectile dysfunction under control. You should also start to make positive lifestyle changes, and these include:
- Eating healthier foods
- Losing weight if necessary
- Exercising as long as the doctor agrees
- Limiting alcohol consumption
- Stopping smoking
Since we also know that your mental state will impact your activity in the bedroom, find ways to relax and stay calm before intercourse. You may have a mental block that’s causing your anxiety or fear in the bedroom, which can cause ED to occur.