Multidiscip Respir Med 2013; 8: 66
Researchers say that physicians should address sexual issues in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a matter of course, after finding that over three-quarters of men with the condition have some level of erectile dysfunction.
However, despite this having been recognized by several studies, the condition is not listed as a comorbidity in the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines.
“The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in patients with COPD is high and its significance has not been sufficiently stressed,” say the researchers, led by Hasan Kahraman (Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Turkey).
In their sample of 70 male COPD patients and 68 healthy controls, the rate of any erectile dysfunction according to the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire was 78.6% and 55.8%, respectively.
via medwireNews – COPD – Sexual dysfunction ‘ignored in COPD’.
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