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In many circumstances, erectile dysfunction is negatively impacted by taking certain medications.
For instance, men with high blood pressure-causing symptoms may be prescribed blood pressure medications to treat their health condition.
However, this may unintentionally backfire—as there are quite several BP medications that have been known to exacerbate or even cause erectile dysfunction in individuals.
While you can rely on natural lifestyle changes like diet and exercise to lower blood pressure, your doctor may also prescribe alternative BP medications to reverse side effects.
Let’s look into how BP medications worsen blood pressure, what these ED-inducing blood pressure medications are, what alternatives are available, and other ways you can overcome erectile dysfunction symptoms.
What Blood Pressure Medications Cause ED?
In the pursuit of treating high blood pressure, many individuals inadvertently worsen erectile dysfunction symptoms as a consequence of taking certain BP medications.
In particular, beta blockers and diuretics are infamous for sidelining sexual performance.
Beta Blockers
Beta-blockers are a type of drug that’s used to control abnormal heart rhythms and slow down blood pressure. It’s used to protect the heart from encountering any problems that may decrease or interfere with its normal functioning. It’s also used to prevent heart attacks from occurring.
Examples of this class of drug include atenol (Tenormin), propranolol (Inderal), nebivolol (Nebilet), and metoprolol (Lopresor, Betaloc).
Diuretics
Diuretics are medicines that aim to help you pass salt and extra fluid out of your body. Often dubbed a water tablet, these medications work to treat edematous and other non-edematous disease conditions by allowing the kidneys to produce more urine. They’re also used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure.
Both thiazide and loop diuretics have been known to exacerbate erectile dysfunction symptoms. The difference between these two diuretics is how they interact with calcium; thiazides decrease the amount of calcium in urine, whereas loop diuretics increase it.
Examples of thiazide diuretics include chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, and hydrochlorothiazide. Loop diuretics include bumetanide, furosemide, and torsemide.
How Do BP and BP Medications Cause ED?
You may be wondering, does high blood pressure affect a man sexually? How about BP medications?
And to put it simply, yes, there’s indeed an underlying connection between these two variables in their connection with ED.
For a healthy erection to occur, there needs to be ample blood flow directed to the penis through the blood vessels.
People with high blood pressure, or hypertensive individuals, have less flexible arteries, which obstructs the ability for normal blood volume to flow through the penis.
This makes it harder for ED patients to achieve erections than otherwise healthy individuals due to the inhibited erectile function that causes impaired penile blood flow.
As for BP medications like diuretics and beta blockers, many of them decrease blood flow to the penis. Not enough blood entering the corpus cavernosum, or erectile chambers, can make it difficult for men to achieve an erection.
Alternative BP Medications That Don’t Cause ED
Starting to develop sexual dysfunction because of your prescribed blood pressure medication? You may be asked to switch to an alternative blood pressure drug to maintain normal blood pressure, while simultaneously having the ability to sustain a healthy erection.
The three main types of high blood pressure medication that you’d be prescribed if you have ED symptoms are:
- ACE inhibitors
- Calcium channel blockers
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers
ACE inhibitors such as captopril (Capoten), benazepril (Lotensin), and lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) relax blood vessels and encourage blood flow. Their pathobiological process doesn’t restrict the arteries, thus keeping blood flow volume to the penis stable.
Calcium channel blockers lessen the volume of calcium from entering the heart and muscles. Just like ACE inhibitors, they promote the relaxation of the arteries and blood vessels, which consequently helps in treating high blood pressure and heart disease. Examples of this medication include Amlodipine and Diltiazem.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers work by blocking the effects of angiotensin, a chemical that narrows the blood vessels. This makes it easier for blood to pass through damaged blood vessels, thereby causing erections to happen more easily.
In summary, these three categories of antihypertensive drugs work not by reducing blood flow to the penile arteries, but instead by dilating blood vessels.
Before switching to any of these medications though, you’ll need to discuss your case in more detail with a medical professional. They’ll outline a plan of action for you and help you choose the best medicine and lifestyle modification to suit your specific case.
How to Overcome Erectile Dysfunction Naturally
Erectile dysfunction is a debilitating condition that may need more effort than by merely switching blood pressure medicines. It will need a complete overhaul of one’s lifestyle.
Here are some ways you can treat ED naturally:
- Exercising regularly
- Sleeping frequently
- Eating a sex-positive diet
- Managing stress sources
- Avoiding drugs and e-cigarettes
- Taking supplements
Besides adopting a healthy lifestyle, it’s also a good idea to regularly check up with a doctor to determine your overall health status.
In addition to that, you may also consult with a urologist to determine whether you’d need more clinical interventions to treat ED, such as ED therapy or RestoreWave treatment.
Treat ED and Restore Sexual Health at Cleveland, Ohio’s Best Male Medical Center
High blood pressure medications may be the best way to cure high blood pressure; however, they may come with the risk of causing impaired penile blood flow in men.
To combat this, it’s often suggested that men switch their BP medications to a less harmful alternative, such as angiotensin II receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers.
Need further medical assistance? The medical professionals at Cleveland’s Precise Men’s Medical Center are equipped with the most cutting-edge medical technology and the best doctors to help the average male improve their sexual function.
Specifically, we offer ED treatment, PE treatment, Low T treatment, and HGH treatment to restore your sexual health.
Regain control over your sex life. Schedule a consultation with us today, your initial consultation and first treatment are completely free.
