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Erectile and Clitoral Dysfunction as Harbingers of Cardiovascular Disease : A Perspective

Priviero, Fernanda ; Hollis, Fiona ; Wood, Susan K. ; Uline, Mark ; Andersson, Karl Erik LU orcid and Webb, R. Clinton (2026) In Medicina (Lithuania) 62(2).
Abstract

Sexual dysfunction (SD), more specifically vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) in men and female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) in women, is increasingly recognized as a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While extensive literature documents vasculogenic ED as an early warning sign of coronary artery disease (CAD) and other atherosclerotic manifestations, the evidence for analogous phenomena in women is emerging but less mature. This perspective explores epidemiologic associations, shared pathophysiologic mechanisms, clinical implications, and screening paradigms for ED and FSAD as cardiovascular (CV) risk-enhancing conditions. This perspective endorses that clinicians should incorporate genital vasculogenic SD into CV risk... (More)

Sexual dysfunction (SD), more specifically vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) in men and female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) in women, is increasingly recognized as a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While extensive literature documents vasculogenic ED as an early warning sign of coronary artery disease (CAD) and other atherosclerotic manifestations, the evidence for analogous phenomena in women is emerging but less mature. This perspective explores epidemiologic associations, shared pathophysiologic mechanisms, clinical implications, and screening paradigms for ED and FSAD as cardiovascular (CV) risk-enhancing conditions. This perspective endorses that clinicians should incorporate genital vasculogenic SD into CV risk stratification and that multidisciplinary care (primary care, cardiology, urology/gynecology) is warranted. A summary table outlines key features and actionable steps.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
clitoris, erectile dysfunction, female sexual arousal disorder, female sexual dysfunction, penis, sexual dysfunction
in
Medicina (Lithuania)
volume
62
issue
2
article number
416
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:105031418966
  • pmid:41752814
ISSN
1010-660X
DOI
10.3390/medicina62020416
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2026 by the authors.
id
93646b39-0a46-4ce2-8e17-faa2f8b6a65c
date added to LUP
2026-04-08 15:58:48
date last changed
2026-06-03 21:34:47
@article{93646b39-0a46-4ce2-8e17-faa2f8b6a65c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Sexual dysfunction (SD), more specifically vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) in men and female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) in women, is increasingly recognized as a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While extensive literature documents vasculogenic ED as an early warning sign of coronary artery disease (CAD) and other atherosclerotic manifestations, the evidence for analogous phenomena in women is emerging but less mature. This perspective explores epidemiologic associations, shared pathophysiologic mechanisms, clinical implications, and screening paradigms for ED and FSAD as cardiovascular (CV) risk-enhancing conditions. This perspective endorses that clinicians should incorporate genital vasculogenic SD into CV risk stratification and that multidisciplinary care (primary care, cardiology, urology/gynecology) is warranted. A summary table outlines key features and actionable steps.</p>}},
  author       = {{Priviero, Fernanda and Hollis, Fiona and Wood, Susan K. and Uline, Mark and Andersson, Karl Erik and Webb, R. Clinton}},
  issn         = {{1010-660X}},
  keywords     = {{clitoris; erectile dysfunction; female sexual arousal disorder; female sexual dysfunction; penis; sexual dysfunction}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Medicina (Lithuania)}},
  title        = {{Erectile and Clitoral Dysfunction as Harbingers of Cardiovascular Disease : A Perspective}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/medicina62020416}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/medicina62020416}},
  volume       = {{62}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}