[Influence of hypertension and antihypertensive drugs on erectile dysfunction and the underlying mechanism: An update].

Hypertension is a most common chronic disease and a most important risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and is also closely related to the development and progression of erectile dysfunction (ED). Existing evidence shows that hypertension is a risk factor for ED due to comorbidities. ED can also be regarded as the "message tree" of cardiovascular diseases. During hypertension, pro-vasoconstrictor factors, such as aldosterone, norepinephrine, and ET-1, break the balance between vasoconstriction and vasodilation, and consequently affect vascular and erectile function. Furthermore, relevant studies have confirmed the influence of various antihypertensive drugs on erectile function, either positively or negatively. This review summarizes the findings in the relevant studies over the past five years, focusing on the effects of hypertension and antihypertensive drugs on erectile function and the specific underlying mechanisms.