Erectile dysfunction may be early sign of heart disease, doctors say

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is often the first and earliest sign of a more significant cardiovascular condition, according to a study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
• "Erectile dysfunction is not just a quality of life issue, but needs to be considered a significant public health concern associated with preventive cardiovascular medicine," states lead researcher and author of the article, Kevin Billups, MD.
• Research suggests that medical evaluation for ED in patients needs to be integrated into an evaluation for cardiovascular risk as well.
• The study stresses that early recognition of ED, "particularly in high-risk and underserved minority populations" like African Americans and Hispanics, can lead to early diagnosis of previously undetected cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical vascular disease.
• The Journal of Sexual Medicine is the official journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine and its five regional affiliate societies.
• It is the first journal owned and operated by the societies.
• The International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) was founded in 1982 for the purpose of promoting research and exchange of knowledge for the clinical entity "impotence" throughout the international scientific community.
• The principal orientation of ISSM was initially towards basic science of erection, defects in the erectile mechanism, and the clinical aspects of diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction.
• The society has over 2000 members worldwide and there are five regional societies that are affiliated with ISSM including the African Society for Sexual and Impotence Research, Asia Pacific Society for Sexual and Impotence Research, European Society for Sexual Medicine, Latin American Society for Impotence and Sexuality Research, and Sexual Medicine Society of North America.
• Blackwell Publishing is the world's leading society publisher, partnering with more than 550 academic and professional societies.
• Blackwell publishes over 750 journals and 600 text and reference books annually, across a wide range of academic, medical, and professional subjects.