How does ivabradine effect erectile dysfunction in patients with heart failure?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability or insufficiensy of penile erection that causes dissatisfaction during sexual intercourse. ED is seen in patients with heart failure (HF) ranging from %56-81 depending on the severity. Patients usually blame their cardiovascular medications for their ED. Ivabradine is used for antianginal effects and to improve exercise intolerance and decrease mortality in patients with HF. Most beta-blockers are known to cause ED but unlike beta-blockers the effect of ivabradine over ED has never been evaluated. We investigated the effect of ivabradine on ED in patients with HF.

Thirty-one patients with HF (all men) under optimal treatment for HF(except ivabradine) were recruited. Patients are evaluated with Internationally validated Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) questionnaire before the initiation of ivabradine and at 6th month of the treatment. SHIM scores previous to treatment and at 6 months were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank test. A p value <0,05 was accepted as statistically significant.

At 6 months of follow-up the initiation of ivabradine, a significant increase in patients with normal libido was found (P < 0.001).

This is a novel study which evaluates the effect of ivabradine on human with HF. Ivabradine improved libido in patients with HF.

Kardiologia polska. 2017 May 25 [Epub ahead of print]

Fatih Aydın, Serkan Bektur, Yasin Taşdelen, Yüksel Kıvrak, Ayşe Hüseyinoglu Aydın

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