A home-based walking program improves erectile dysfunction in men with an acute myocardial infarction.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 25727080 · doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2014.12.007
What was done
Men with recent acute myocardial infarction categorized as low cardiovascular risk were randomized into either an unsupervised progressive home-based outdoor walking program (n = 41) or a usual care control group (n = 45). Functional capacity (6-minute walk test) and erectile function (International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire) were evaluated at hospital discharge and after 30 days.
What was found
At baseline, 84% of all participants reported erectile dysfunction (ED). At 30-day follow-up, reported ED increased by 9% in the control group (p = 0.08), whereas the walking group experienced a 71% decrease in reported ED (p < 0.0001). Six-minute walk distance was significantly higher in the walking group compared to controls (p = 0.01), and a significant inverse correlation was observed between 6-minute walk distance and ED at 30 days (r = -0.71, p < 0.01).
Why it matters
Erectile dysfunction is common after acute myocardial infarction; this study shows that a simple, accessible home-based walking regimen can rapidly improve functional capacity and reduce erectile dysfunction within one month of discharge.
Limits
The study was small (n = 86) with a short 30-day follow-up period, leaving longer-term efficacy and safety unknown. The cohort was limited strictly to low-risk post-infarction male patients, so results cannot be generalized to higher-risk cardiac populations. Absolute walk distances and baseline versus post-test continuous IIEF scores were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- context A supervised walking protocol consisting of a 5-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of walking, and a 5-minute cool-down improved erectile function by 70% in men with heart disease.