Erectile dysfunction trial

Overview

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects 20% of men over 40 with major effects on health and quality of life. Current treatments are expensive and use in the NHS is restricted.

ED shares risk factors with cardio-vascular disease (CVD) and is linked to high cholesterol and to endothelial dysfunction. Statins improve endothelial function rapidly and may improve  improve ED and prevent CVD in the long term.

The EDS trial is a double blind randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing treatment with 40 mg simvastatin or placebo on ED in 173 men aged 40 years and over, from 10 general practices in the East of England.

The study findings showed that simvastatin significantly improved the sexual health related quality of life in men with ED, and reduced cholesterol, improved erectile function non-significantly and reduced health service costs and may be cost effective.

Raising awareness of the links between ED and CVD provides an opportunity to provide lifestyle advice.

Funded by: NIHR RfPB

Project Grant total: £248,192 (Includes Grant extension 2010-2011 £74,543 CRIPACC)  

University of Hertfordshire staff:  Dr Daksha Trivedi, Professor Mike Kirby, Dr David Wellsted, Ms Bernadette O’Connor, Ms Sandra van Os, Professor Sally Kendall  

Collaborators:  Professor David Torgerson, University of York,  Dr McEniery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge