Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that is responsible for endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Erectile dysfunction is a multifactorial disease. The most common cause of ED is penile vascular insufficiency.
The metabolic syndrome, the criteria for which include glucose intolerance, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, has rapidly become understood to have a major association with erectile dysfunction (ED). On a mechanistic level, their common grounds may involve endothelial dysfunction, although the conditions of oxidative stress understood to be a pathologic element of the syndrome also may affect various components of the vascular biology of the penis. The foremost importance of recognizing the association between ED and the metabolic syndrome is that addressing ED presentations may afford opportunities to identify and improve a major adverse health profile and thereby promote health maintenance objectives for patients.
Abstract
Introduction
Metabolic syndrome (MetS ) is the most important public health issue threatening the health of men and women all over the world. Its current prevalence (i.e., approximately 30%) is continuously increasing. MetS by itself is considered a risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED ).
Aim
To focus on the definition epidemiology, pathogenesis, and possible mechanistic links between MetS and ED in order to provide guidelines for treating such individuals.
Methods
The search strategies yielded total records screened from P ubM ed.
Main Outcome Measures
Regardless of the definition, MetS consists of insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity. MetS is not an end disease but is a disorder of energy utilization and storage.
Results
The prevalence of ED in patients with MetS is almost twice than in those without MetS , and about 40% of patients with ED have MetS . An important mechanism linking MetS and ED is hypogonadism.
Conclusions
Recognizing through ED , underlying conditions such as hypogonadism, diabetes and MetS might be a useful motivation for men to improve their health‐related choices. The clinical management of MetS can be done by therapeutic interventions that include lifestyle modifications, hormone replacement alone or in combination with phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, and other pharmacological treatments.