With age, health tends to decline gradually. Some chronic health conditions can influence all aspects of health in some way. Consequently, sexual health is impacted as well.   

Several health concerns like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cardiovascular disorders, etc., can give rise to erection difficulties. Erection dysfunction happens because of vascular problems.      

Healthcare professionals prescribe blood thinner medicines to ease the flow of blood through the veins and arteries. They reduce the risk of heart attack and even stroke. But they might as well contribute to side effects related to sexual health.         

What are blood thinners used for? 

Blood thinners, also known as Anticoagulants, are a group of drugs that prevent the blood from clotting. These medicines cause the breakdown of already existing clots and stop any further clot formation.   

Blood thinners are available in various forms, including oral medications, intravenous (IV) drugs, and injectables. They can reduce the risk of developing life-threatening health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, and pulmonary embolisms. All these conditions happen due to clotting.       

What causes erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, is a sexual difficulty in males, that stems from a lack of adequate blood flow to the penile. The blood flow to the penile is hindered because of the narrowing of the penile arteries.  

The function of the penile arteries is impaired due to some physiological health conditions. However, other reasons for erection difficulties can be psychological factors like stress, anxiety, depression, etc.   

Besides it can also happen after some injuries, smoking, alcohol, and medicinal side effects.   

Impact of blood thinners on erections 

Generally, blood thinners do not directly contribute to erectile dysfunction. They reduce the possibility of heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolisms, and vein thrombosis. They do give rise some potential side effects which may also be related to sexual health.  

Blood thinners can commonly cause bleeding, which might occur spontaneously or after some injury. The bleeding can happen anywhere in the body. It might also occur in the genitals which might cause pain and discomfort while performing a sexual activity.   

There is also a risk of a sudden and excessive drop in blood pressure, which can lead to loss of consciousness. This might happen during sexual interaction, which is why it is risky to have sex after taking blood thinner medicines.  

When are blood thinners prescribed? 

The healthcare providers prescribe blood thinner medicines after conducting diagnostic evaluation tests. They will also assess your medical history and ongoing health conditions, and the medications you are already having.   

Certain medications used for managing some health conditions might interact with blood thinners. Based on these conditions and considering the risk factors, they will recommend a dose and assign a dosing regimen.   

It is necessary to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions and guidance carefully. In case you miss the dose, talk to them and ask for advice.  

Avoid negligence, do not take any less or more than the recommended dose. This might potentiate the risk of bleeding. And lastly, show up for routine checkups.   

Effective ways to prevent ED induced by blood thinners 

Adjustment of dose: If you are struggling to get or maintain erections and you are experiencing these issues more frequently, then this can be an indication of the side effects of blood thinners.  

In case this happens, you must discuss this issue with your healthcare provider. They might either lower the dose or prescribe you some alternative. 

Treat underlying health conditions: Erectile dysfunction may happen because of some health condition that you might not be even aware of. The other conditions along with clotting can exacerbate ED.  

This is why, it is necessary to get diagnostic evaluation tests and seek timely. This will reduce the possibility of ED as a side effect of blood thinner.   

Consider ED medicines: ED medicines like Viagra (Sildenafil), Cialis (Tadalafil), Levitra (Vardenafil), and Stendra (Avanafil) are approved by the FDA for treating ED. Medicines such as Zhewitra 20 are great alternatives to Levitra. These offer the same benefits as Levitra and are available at very cheap costs.     

Adopt a healthy lifestyle: Your lifestyle choices have a massive impact on your overall health. Habits like clean eating, exercising, meditating, quitting smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, avoiding recreational drugs, etc., can prevent ED from worsening.   

Get professional counseling or therapy: If it is mental health concerns that are causing you trouble by aggravating ED, then you can seek professional guidance. The therapist will help you address difficulties like stress, anxiety, trauma, depressions, and so on.