Sexual health in Polish elderly men with coronary artery disease: importance, expectations, and reality

Global prevalence of sexual dysfunction in cardiovascular patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sexual dysfunction poses a significant challenge for patients with cardiac conditions. Concerning the prevalence of sexual disorders in cardiovascular patients, several seminal studies conducted in various regions of the world have provided diverse facts and figures pertaining to sexual dysfunction among cardiovascular patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze, summarize, and integrate the findings of seminal studies on the effect of underlying factors and estimate the global rate of sexual disorders in cardiovascular patients.

METHODS

The present systematic review and meta-analysis included studies conducted in 2003-2023. To find the relevant published academic papers, SID, MagIran, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (WOS), and Google Scholar databases were searched for keywords using MeSH/Emtree until January 14, 2023. The GRADEpro software was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. The heterogeneity of studies was checked using the I2 index.

RESULTS

An initial number of 2122 studies were found in the first search. Following a precise screening process based on predefined inclusion criteria, a total of 17 studies were deemed suitable for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The global prevalence of sexual disorders in cardiovascular patients was estimated at 62.6% (95% CI: 49.8-73.8%). As the results of the meta-regression showed that as the sample size increased, there was a significant decrease in the overall prevalence of sexual disorders among cardiovascular patients. Additionally, as the study years progressed, both age and JBI score exhibited an upward trend.

CONCLUSION

The present findings showed a high prevalence of sexual disorders among cardiovascular patients. Therefore, it is recommended that experts and health policymakers enhance their focus on effectively preventing and controlling these disorders. Besides the evidence achieved very low certainty, it is important for the treatment team to prioritize the sexual relations of cardiovascular patients and focus on improving their sexual function. This should be seen as an essential aspect of their overall recovery process.

Arterial stiffness and the non-dipping pattern in type 1 diabetes males with and without erectile dysfunction

Arterial stiffness (AS) and non-dipping pattern are early predictors of cardiovascular diseases but are not used in clinical practice. We aimed to assess if AS and the non-dipping pattern are more prevalent in the erectile dysfunction (ED) group than in the non-ED group among subjects with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). The study group consisted of adults with T1DM. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV Ao)-a marker of increased AS, central systolic blood pressure, and heart rate (HR) were measured with a brachial oscillometric device (Arteriograph 24). Erectile dysfunction (ED) was assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function-5. A comparison between the groups with and without ED was performed. Of 34 investigated men with T1DM, 12 (35.3%) suffered from ED. The group with ED had higher mean 24 h HR (77.7 [73.7-86.5] vs 69.9 [64.0-76.8]/min; p = 0.04, nighttime PWV Ao (8.1 [6.8-8.5] vs 6.8 [6.1-7.5] m/s; p = 0.015) and prevalence of non-dipping SBP Ao pattern (11 [91.7] vs 12 [54.5]%; p = 0.027) than individuals without ED. The presence of ED detected a central non-dipping pattern with a sensitivity of 47.8% and a specificity of 90.9%. The central non-dipping pattern was more prevalent and the nighttime PWV was higher in T1DM subjects with ED than in those without ED.

The effect of sexual counseling on depression, anxiety, stress, sexual knowledge and sexual quality of life in men who have undergone invasive coronary interventions: An RCT

Background

Sexual dysfunctions are common in men with ischemic heart disease, especially in men undergoing therapeutic interventions.

Objective

This study intended to assess the effect of counseling on depression, anxiety, stress, sexual knowledge and sexual quality of life in men after invasive coronary interventions in the post catheterization department of Kashan Shahid Beheshti Hospital during 2018.

Materials and Methods

The study population consisted of 54 male participants who had undergone an invasive coronary intervention. The intervention group received counseling and the control group underwent the standard ward routine. Data were collected using the depression anxiety stress scales, Abraham's sexual quality of life, and the Yi-Hung Sexual Knowledge questionnaires before discharge and also two months later.

Results

Within two months, the intervention group's mean score of sexual knowledge significantly increased, compared with the control group, from 12.37 to 14.81 (p ≤ 0.001). The intervention group's mean score of sexual quality of life also significantly increased, compared with the control group, from 48.2 to 60.7 (p ≤ 0.001). Moreover, the mean anxiety score changed in the intervention group from 11.18 to 5.25, again a significant difference compared with the control group (p = 0.01). But, the differences in the depression and stress scores were not significant.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that sexual counseling may improve sexual knowledge, sexual quality of life and anxiety in men following invasive coronary intervention, but might not reduce their stress or depression. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.