Evaluation of the relationship between erectile dysfunction and epicardial fat tissue thickness and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension

OBJECTIVE
This study is an investigation of the relationship between erectile dysfunction and epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness, which are indicators of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis, in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension.

METHODS
The epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness of 101 male patients with newly diagnosed hypertension were measured using echocardiography between May 1, 2018 and May 31, 2019. Evaluation of erectile dysfunction was performed using the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) in a face-to-face interview in the urology outpatient clinic. The data of patients with and without erectile dysfunction were compared.

RESULTS
There was a significant relationship between the presence and severity of erectile dysfunction and epicardial fat tissue and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension. Left ventricular diastolic function was found to be more impaired in patients with erectile dysfunction.

CONCLUSION
Erectile dysfunction was determined to be related to increased epicardial fat tissue and carotid intima-media thicknesses in patients with newly-diagnosed hypertension.