ScienceDaily (June 2, 2011) — A new study published in the journal Clinical Cardiology reveals that in men with chronic heart failure, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves patients' libido, erectile dysfunction, and sexual performance.

Chronic heart failure (HF) is a common, complex clinical syndrome characterized by fatigue and exercise intolerance. HF patients experience decreased libido and erectile dysfunction (ED). CRT, which is a type of pacemaker that paces the right and left ventricle, is used to treat patients with HF.

Led by Ahmet Vural of Kocaeli University, researchers investigated the effects of CRT on libido and ED. 31 male patients with advanced HF, scheduled for implantation of a CRT device, were included in the study. They were assessed before and six months after CRT.

At the six-month follow-up after CRT, 23 patients reported no ED, and only two patients had moderate ED. Severe ED was not found in any patient. A significant increase in patients with normal libido was found, with 25 men reporting improvement compared to only three reporting normal libido prior to CRT.

The findings show that CRT results in significant improvement in libido, ED, and sexual performance as a consequence of the improvement in functional capacity and ejection fraction.

"Not only does CRT decrease mortality in heart failure patients, it also brings improvement in sexual health to the patient's life," Vural concludes.