Low blood pressure does not typically cause erectile dysfunction (ED). However, some medications to treat ED may cause a drop in blood pressure in some people.

ED occurs when someone cannot get or maintain an erection. Factors, such as anxiety, stress, or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, may cause temporary ED. However, if ED happens regularly, a medical or mental health condition may be the cause.

This article examines whether there is a link between low blood pressure and ED. We also discuss the potential causes of ED and how to treat the condition.

Low blood pressure occurs when the pressure of circulating blood in a person’s body is lower than typical levels. While low blood pressure does not usually cause ED, combining ED drugs with other medications may result in low blood pressure.

ED drugs, such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra), relax blood vessels to increase blood flow.

However, people should not take these drugs if they also use nitrate medications for chest pain or heart problems. These medications include isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil), isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur), and nitroglycerin (Nitrostat).

Nitrate medications and ED drugs widen and relaxTrusted Source blood vessels. Therefore, if a person takes them together, they could experience a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure, resulting in faintness, dizziness, or possible injury.

People can also discuss their treatment with a doctor if they take alpha-blockers for prostate enlargement. Combining alpha-blockers and ED medicines may also cause a sudden reductionTrusted Source in blood pressure.

Blood pressure and ED

Blood pressure measures the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries.

The body has complex mechanisms that help regulate blood pressure. These systems assist in increasing or decreasing heart rate, constricting or dilating blood vessels, or signaling the kidneys to release hormones.

When someone has high blood pressure, the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high, meaning that the heart has to work harder to pump blood.

Over time, high blood pressure can damage the lining of blood vessels and cause hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which doctors call atherosclerosis. This condition raises the risk of stroke and heart attack and limits blood flow to the penis. This increases the likelihood of someone having difficulty getting and maintaining erections.

ED is an early sign of blood vessel damage. A 2020 study found men with untreated high blood pressure to be twice as likely to have reduced penile blood flow than those with typical blood pressure.

Around 40%Trusted Source of people with ED have high blood pressure, and 35% of all males with high blood pressure also have ED.

Some medications doctors prescribe to treat high blood pressure may also affect sexual desire and function.

For example, diuretics may interfere with a person’s ability to achieve an erection because they reduce forceful blood flow to the penis. Beta-blockers may also play a role in ED. They block specific receptors in the nervous system responsible for causing an erection.

As such, if a person taking these medications notices a negative effect on their erection, they should discuss this with their doctor. A healthcare professional may be able to suggest suitable alternative options.

Learn more about medications that can cause ED here.

Other causes of ED

Sexual arousal requires many processes that involve the brain, hormones, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and emotions. A problem with any of these could contribute to ED.

Causes of ED may include:

high blood pressure
atherosclerosis
high cholesterol
heart disease
diabetes
multiple sclerosis
anxiety
depression
low self-esteem
stress
smoking tobacco
drinking too much alcohol
using illegal drugs
certain medications, such as blood pressure medications, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and appetite suppressants