High Blood Pressure - Sexuality And Health Problems: Womens Sexual Health

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

High blood pressure

Hypertension (high blood pressure), another form of vascular disease, also contributes to sexual dysfunction. It changes circulatory patterns in the body and damages the inner lining of arteries (the endothelium), both of which may decrease blood flow to the penis and vagina. Moreover, many popular blood pressure medications can cause erectile difficulties. In fact, sexual problems are a main reason why people stop taking drugs that lower blood pressure. But doing so can be quite dangerous, given that high blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke and also plays a huge role in the physiologic changes that underlie heart attacks and heart failure.

Problems attributed to high blood pressure or drug therapy for it include impotence and ejaculation problems in men, painful or uncomfortable intercourse and difficulty having an orgasm in women, and lack of desire in both.

In theory, controlling high blood pressure should help preserve or even improve sexual function. In practice, it doesn't, at least not according to large studies. It's possible, though, that improvements in some people are offset by sexual side effects of drug therapy in others.

Sexual side effects have been ascribed to virtually all classes of drugs used to control blood pressure (see Table 3). In most studies, it has been almost impossible to tell if the problem stemmed from drug therapy or high blood pressure itself. A few studies have suggested that different drug classes have different effects on sexual function, and one class — angiotensin-receptor blockers — may even improve it.

If you think a blood pressure drug is putting a kink in your sex life, talk to your doctor. Many different drugs are used to treat blood pressure, and with your doctor's help you may find a better alternative.

Last updated:	January 23, 2007