Cardiac resynchronization therapy may improve sexual health for male heart patients

Many men who have chronic heart failure experience low libido, decreased sexual performance or erectile dysfunction in addition to their symptoms of fatigue and exercise intolerance. However, a recent study published in the journal Clinical Cardiology found that men who are treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) may experience improvements in their sex-related symptoms.

The research involved 31 male patients with advanced heart failure who underwent CRT. At a six-month follow-up evaluation, the study's results showed that 23 patients reported no erectile dysfunction, while only two patients had moderate dysfunction and no subjects experienced severe impairments of this type. Moreover, 25 of the participants said that they experienced improvements in their sexual desire following treatment.

"Not only does CRT decrease mortality in heart failure patients, it also brings improvement in sexual health to the patient's life," said lead researcher Ahmet Vural.

According to the Kinsey Institute, 24 percent of men between the ages of 50 and 80 have sex a few times per month.