Using of B-Blockers in Heart Failure with Reduced EF with Erectile Dysfunction

İsa Ardahanlı

Keywords: erectile dysfunction, nebivolol, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

Aim:

The coexistence of heart failure and erectile dysfunction (ED) are widespread clinical conditions. The possible underlying reasons for this; There may be a decrease in exercise tolerance caused by HF, side effects of HF drugs, coexistence of risk factors shared between HF and ED, and an accompanying proinflammatory process. B-blockers are widely used in the treatment of HF and coronary artery disease that reduce mortality but have a high potential to cause ED. Nebivolol are b-blockers that release nitric oxide (NO). NO is an essential vasoactive mediator involved in penile erection. The study investigates the effect of nebivolol in patients with HF compared to other b-blockers on ED.

Method:

Ninety-eight patients who were followed up in our clinic diagnosed with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and using b-blockers for treatment were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 patients were using nebivolol (n=48), group 2 patients were using other b-blockers (n=50). Erectile dysfunction evaluation was performed in the urology outpatient clinic by face-to-face interview with the five-question version of the International Index of Sexual Function (IIEF-5).

Results:

The average age of the study group was 62.1 ±9.3. There was no significant difference in age, associated risk factors between the groups. The number of patients meeting the definition of ED was lower in the nebivolol group. The IIEF-5 score in patients using nebivolol was significantly higher than the other group (19.8±3. vs 14.4±2.5, p <0.001).

Conclusions:

In our study results, the incidence of ED was significantly lower in patients using nebivolol for therapeutic purposes in HF. We think that preference of nebivolol in the use of b-blockers in HF patients presenting with ED may decrease the severity of ED.

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