ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IS ASSOCIATED TO SEXUAL FUNCTION OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE

Abstract

Objective: Sexual dysfunction is very common in patients with heart failure (HF). Hypertension is highly prevalent among HF patients and is the leading cause of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between AF and sexual dysfunction (SD) in hypertensive patients with HF. Design and method: Patients with hypertension and HF were divided in two groups: a group with AF and a control group. Erectile dysfunction (ED) was evaluated by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and female sexual dysfunction (FSD) by the Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI). AF (presence or not and the type of AF), office blood pressure (BP), the duration in years from the first diagnosis of BP and adequate BP control were recorded as well. Results: A total of 239 consecutive hypertensive patients (147 men and 92 women) with HF participated in the study. In total, 105 of them had a history of AF (16 - 6.7% persistent, 46 - 19.2% permanent, and 43 - 18% paroxysmal). Patients with AF had a longer duration of hypertension (p = 0.003), and they had more frequent ED compared to the control group (p = 0.003), but no association was detected with FSD. Furthermore, IIEF was lower in the AF group compared to the control group (p = 0.006). Conclusions: AF is associated with ED, but not with FSD in hypertensive patients with HF. Therefore, special attention about sexual function should be applied in hypertensive patients with HF and AF, especially to male patients.