Study highlights benefits of screening for heart disease in men with erectile dysfunction

New research reveals that screening for cardiovascular disease in men presenting with erectile dysfunction may be a cost-effective intervention for preventing both cardiovascular disease and, over the longer term, erectile dysfunction.

If all men presenting with erectile dysfunction were screened for cardiovascular disease, 5.8 million men with previously unknown heart-related risk factors would be identified over 20 years, costing $2.7 billion to screen. Assuming a 20% decrease in cardiovascular events as a result of screening and treatment, 1.1 million cardiovascular events would be avoided, saving $21.3 billion over 20 years. As a result of cardiovascular disease treatment, 1.1 million cases of erectile dysfunction would be treated, saving $9.7 billion. Therefore, total savings would equal more than $28 billion over 20 years.

"These findings further substantiate the recommendations of the Princeton Consensus Conference encouraging cardiovascular risk stratification in men with erectile dysfunction. We can now highlight the economic benefits of this screening approach and its impact on the healthcare system," said Dr. Alexander Pastuszak, lead author of the Journal of Sexual Medicine study.