Sexual dysfunction may signal CVD in postmenopausal women

Postmenopausal women, especially those who are middle-aged, must be examined for cardiovascular risk factors and female sexual dysfunction (FSD), suggests a recent study.

Using the PubMed database, a team of researchers performed a narrative review based on an extensive literature search of peer-reviewed publications on the associations between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and risk factors and FSD and their underlying mechanisms.

Evidence from literature indicated that genital vascular impairment significantly affected female sexual function, particularly arousal, which could result in FSD. Many cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and metabolic syndrome, also showed an adverse impact on endothelial function and an association with FSD.

“In this scenario, similarly to penile Doppler blood flow studies in men, clitoral Doppler ultrasound can represent an innovative and useful tool to early reveal the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and sexual dysfunction,” the authors said.

Of note, middle-aged women had a higher prevalence of distressing sexual problems than older and younger women, but the prevalence of CVDs and FSD increases as a function of menopause and ageing.

“It becomes clinically relevant to assess particularly postmenopausal women for FSD and CVDs, since both disorders still remain underdiagnosed and sub-optimally untreated,” the researchers said. “Clitoral Doppler ultrasound could represent a useful technique to diagnose the presence of underlying CVD, which along with risk factors could predict sexual dysfunction in women.”

This study was limited by its narrative nature and the lack of specifically designed studies to examine the definitive association between FSD and CVDs.