It's interesting that when it rains, it pours. Well, maybe. Or maybe it's more of the blind squirrel finding the occasional nut. In this particular case, while I was nosing around yesterday regarding the link between erectile dysfunction and heart disease, I stumbled upon yet another review published last August in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. In fact, this review was a consensus statement of the third Princeton Consensus Conference held in November 2010 (notice how long it takes to get something published?). 
Specifically, erectile dysfunction was linked to an increase risk for coronary heart disease, stroke & all-cause mortality. The group went so far as to recommend a cardiac evaluation for any man complaining of organic ED (a question raised at the AAFP's Geriatric Medicine conference last week).
More importantly, the authors pointed out a total of 9 studies linking low testosterone (or hypogonadism) to increase mortality. Granted this does not prove cause & effect, but it does compel us to set up a randomized controlled trial to address that possibility. And finally, the authors went so far as to suggest that all men w/ED should have their T level checked and replacement considered when appropriate. Wow! What a turn around!
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