Erectile dysfunction requires early treatment, doctor says
Dubai doctor warns people not to buy enhancement pills over the counter
Sexual dysfunction in men is a sign of a much bigger problem, warn doctors. Image Credit: Supplied
Dubai: Younger men are experiencing erectile dysfunction which is impacting their relationships and many do not seek early help from their doctors, a physician has warned.
Erectile dysfunction or ED, shows that there will be problems with the heart sooner or later, said Dr John Dean who works with the UK National Health Service and at London Clinic on Harley Street, London, where he sees a number of patients from the UAE and the region.
He said arteries in the penis are smaller than other arteries and so any blockage would first show there. Dr Dean said an erectile problem means that three or four years down the line the person will get cardiovascular disease.
Artery blockages are due to various reasons. The most common is due to plaque, a substance that builds up on the inner walls of the arteries and could be made up of fat, cholesterol or cellular waste.
Many UAE residents have high bad cholesterol levels because of bad diet, a sedentary lifestyle and other unhealthy habits.
Experts said the take-home message is that when a patient seeks treatment for ED, he should be given a full physical check- up to look for heart disease and be referred to a cardiologist if necessary.
Average age
Dr Dean said the first step would be to speak with a general practitioner.
He told Gulf News that elsewhere in the world the average age of men with the condition is 50 but in the region ED is found among men with an average age of 40. The doctor was in Dubai to speak with pharmacists on the findings of the survey.
He said men should be warned not to buy sexual enhancement pills such as Viagra online.
“Most of the time it is a placebo,” he said. Sexual enhancement pills like Viagra or Cialis cannot be bought over the counter in the UAE and is only dispensed with a doctor’s prescription.
Dr Dean also warned that men generally do not seek medical help early because of various reasons and that has a big negative impact on the person later.
A recent survey was done among seven countries in the region including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, and asked 500 men and women about their sexual health.
It showed that both men and women consider sex absolutely important in a relationship.
The physician said the survey found low satisfaction among women under 30 and men between 30 and 49.
He said some divorce cases could be linked to low satisfaction.
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