RELACIÓN ENTRE EL GRADO DE DISFUNCIÓN ERÉCTIL Y EL USO DE TRATAMIENTOS ALTERNATIVOS EN PACIENTES QUE CONSUMEN FÁRMACOS ANTIHIPERTENSIVOS.

Abstract

High blood presure (HBP) affects 19.8% of the adult population in Ecuador and usually presents with erectile dysfunction (ED). ED can be classified by degrees, using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF), which allows diagnostic evaluation and classification of the severity of the disease in men. The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationship between the degree of erectile dysfunction and the use of alternative treatments in patients who consume antihypertensive drugs using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF). This is a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive, correlational, bivariate, study in 85 patients attended in the outpatient clinic of the Hospital General del Norte de Guayaquil "Los Ceibos". An association analysis was performed using Chi-square with Fisher's exact test. The results showed a moderate, statistically significant association between the perception of erectile dysfunction status and the use of alternative medicine FET=13.99 P=0.001, Cramer's V=0.41. Among patients who consumed alternative medicine, 40% (n=16) reported improvement, and 50% (n=20) stated that their erectile function remained the same. While among those who did not consume alternative medicine, 22.2% (n=10) perceived a worsening of their condition and 71.1% (n=32) stated that their function remained the same. In conclusion, in hypertensive patients treated pharmacologically and consuming alternative medicine, 4 out of 10 perceived improvements, while in those patients who did not consume alternative medicine, 22.2% (n=10) perceived worsening of their ED.