quote:

Sex Issues May Signal Other Health Risks

By MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer

Thu Feb 1, 5:52 PM

LONDON - Doctors shouldn't shy away from asking patients about their sex lives, a new research paper advises. Researchers say problems in the bedroom can translate into serious medical conditions, and ignoring sexual dysfunction may mean missing early indicators for heart failure, depression or other ailments, according to a paper published in Friday's issue of The Lancet.

"Sex is a legitimate part of medicine, but it has largely been kept separate from the rest of medicine," said Dr. Rosemary Basson, the paper's lead author. Basson is based at the British Columbia Centre for Sexual Medicine in Vancouver.

Basson and her co-author, Dr. Willibrord Weijmar Schultz of the University Medical Centre in Groningen, the Netherlands, examined numerous medical databases looking for sexual dysfunctions in combination with diseases such as heart failure, diabetes, depression, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's. Many sexual problems were identified as possible red flags of underlying or imminent medical conditions.

"If a man comes in with erectile dysfunction, it can be the tip of the iceberg," said Dr. Andrew McCullough, a sexual health expert at New York University Medical Center who was not connected to the paper.

Doctors are being increasingly advised to take the initiative to ask patients about their sex lives, including basic questions about who they have sex with, how frequently and if they engage in potentially risky behavior.

"People aren't going to volunteer that kind of information unless they're specifically asked," said Dr. Jonathan Zenilman, chief of the infectious diseases division at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, who was not involved with the research.

What patients often fail to realize, physicians say, is that sexual dysfunctions are often a symptom of something more serious.

For instance, men with erectile dysfunction, the most common sexual disorder in older men, are often at increased risk of heart disease. In one study of 132 men who had heart surgery, nearly half had a history of erectile dysfunction. That diagnosis preceded the heart surgery in nearly 60 percent of the men.

In women, picking up on sex clues is more difficult. "Women don't have as obvious a physical signal for sexual problems as men," said Basson. But a woman's lack of sexual desire reveals an underlying depression in up to 26 percent of cases. Taken together with other symptoms, sexual abnormalities in women could point to hormone conditions, kidney failure, diabetes, or other chronic diseases.

By using sexual problems as early indicators of medical complications, doctors can capitalize on valuable lead time to treat their patients. "The first manifestation of early diabetes could be erectile dysfunction," said Zenilman. "It may not be what men want to hear, but if it's caught early enough, you can still do something about it."

In the case of depression, patients often go for years without being treated. If astute clinicians were able to make the connection between lack of sexual desire with psychiatric conditions such as depression or post-traumatic stress syndrome, patients could be offered treatment earlier, according to Zenilman.

Yet while sexual problems can be an indicator of poor health, the prospect of better sex may persuade people to lead healthier lives.

"Sex can be used as a great carrot for people," said McCullough. "People will be more willing to make lifestyle modifications to improve their health if they think they'll also get improved sex."

I found this interesting, and relevant to this forum. Anyone think this is BS ?

No, everything in your life is related to everything else.

this just in: water is wet.

This is about your body, not your life. While it can be argued that the two are inextricably linked, that was an irrelevant point to make when considering the context of the article.

Did you even read it ? A lack of a sex drive can be an indicator of future heart disease. How could that possibly fit into that simplistic statement you just made ?

quote:Originally posted by Digital_Savior:

This is about your body, not your life. While it can be argued that the two are inextricably linked, that was an irrelevant point to make when considering the context of the article.

Did you even read it ? A lack of a sex drive can be an indicator of future heart disease. How could that possibly fit into that simplistic statement you just made ?

If you can't figure out something so simple as my first statement I'd find it hard to believe you'd understand anything else.

Your sex life influences your mental health, your mental health your physical health, your physical health your sex life, etc etc. everything you do is connected to everything else and has an impact on your body

What the hell is so amazing and new about this? all they did is find specific instances.

I didn't say there was anything amazing about the fact that our mental health directly affects our physical health, but you have failed to provide proof that bad mental health can cause heart disease.

This is usually caused by stress, genetics, physical inactivity, and/or diet. While mental health can be influenced by all of those things, and vice a versa, correlation does not automatically equal causation.

Besides, this article wasn't for MY benefit, it was for the benefit of others who may not know.

I guess this information isn't emo or drama-ridden enough to generate any attention.

Wrong age group. Heh.

i read it. very interesting, and not really self-evident, as rizzo seems to think. i will keep this in mind for the future, and stay on the lookout for more articles to support or contradict this one.

quote:

For instance, men with erectile dysfunction, the most common sexual disorder in older men, are often at increased risk of heart disease. In one study of 132 men who had heart surgery, nearly half had a history of erectile dysfunction. That diagnosis preceded the heart surgery in nearly 60 percent of the men.

Hmm.. the fact that men tend to have those problems at roughly the same age doesn't mean that one problem causes the other.

I mean seriously. If people are allowed to drink booze at the age of 21, and are allowed to vote at the age of 21, doesn't mean that they are allowed to vote because they drink booze.

...or does it?..

quote:Originally posted by Rizzo in a box:

No, everything in your life is related to everything else.

this just in: water is wet.

Yes, but it's not immediately evident how. Erectile dysfunction could just be erectile dysfunction, due to age or a weak PC muscle or what-have-you, or it could be a sign of heart failure. The study tells them what to look for.

Doctors always ask about my sex life. Is this not a standard practice?

I've only been asked a few times...and I've been to a lot of doctor's, particularly because I suffered from endometriosis (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/endometriosis)for years.

quote:Originally posted by lauren7249:

i read it. very interesting, and not really self-evident, as rizzo seems to think. i will keep this in mind for the future, and stay on the lookout for more articles to support or contradict this one.

That is a wise approach. I definitely wouldn't just add this to my arsenal of irrefutable facts, but it is interesting, and makes a lot of sense.

quote:Originally posted by Agent 008:

Hmm.. the fact that men tend to have those problems at roughly the same age doesn't mean that one problem causes the other.

But it could mean that they had similar diets, got a similar amount of exercise, smoked, etc.

Basically, if your are having issues sexually, you should have a full work up done, just in case. Better safe than sorry, eh ?

There isn't really any reason to assume not. Your body is interlinked in many ways. I thought something like this would be obvious.

quote:Originally posted by Sentinel:

I thought something like this would be obvious.

Same here. If part of a machine is broken, it affects the rest of the machine.

Yes, if you have acne, you will definitely have heart disease when you get older !