Erectile dysfunction in patients with sleep apnea: A prospective study

Introduction. - The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), a condition that disorganizes the respiratory movements, has been considered in the last 25 years one of the main riots of sleep. It occurs in 4% of the men and 2% of the women at the half age. Above of the 60 years the prevalence it is esteem in values that vary from 28% to 67% in the men and from 20% to 54% in the women. The spalling of the architecture of sleep can provoke tied, difficulty to remain waked up during sedentary activities, irritability, depression, chronic headache, libido reduction and erectile dysfunction (ED) (Varella, 2005). Objective. - This work has as objective to evaluate previous research relating the ED with the sleep apnea and to emphasize its relevant points and therapeutical possibilities. Results. - The endothelial dysfunction present in the people with sleep apnea makes it difficult the production/liberation of nitric oxide, resulting damage in the relaxation of the trabecular smooth muscle of the cavernosum corpus, providing ED. Cardiovascular risk factors will contribute still more for a worse prognostic in the relation between sleep apnea and ED. The most used treatment to correct the sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Goncalves et al. [Sleep Med. 6 (2005) 333] evaluating patients with OSAS and ED treated during 1 month with CPAP, had detected a positive result in 75% of the people with sleep apnea and ED, regarding the significant improvement to the quality of life. Conclusion. - Therefore we conclude that there is an important relationship between the sleep apnea and the ED, with a worse prognostic in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. A interdisciplinary approach would be the best therapeutical option for the resolution of these two important pathologies. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.