AN ERECTION is a hydraulic event. Extra blood is delivered to the male organ, kept there for a while, then drained away. An erection may not happen if a blockage interferes with blood flow to the penis. Atherosclerosis or blockage is the artery-clogging process and can present with chest pain on exercise or stress, heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular conditions.  There occurs with accumulation of cholesterol-filled plaque inside arteries.

Blockage in a coronary artery can cause angina (chest pain with exercise or stress) or a heart attack. In an artery in the brain, it can cause memory loss, dementia, or stroke. Atherosclerosis in arteries supplying the penis can prevent the increase in blood flow needed to start or sustain an erection. Erections serve as a barometer for overall heart’s health and erectile dysfunction can be an early warning sign of trouble in the heart or elsewhere.

Simple lifestyle changes like losing weight, exercising more, or stopping smoking can help. Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs work for some men.