Erectile dysfunction is a strong warning sign that a man might be at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems, a long-running study indicates.

"We saw that adjusting for age and Framingham (Heart Study) risk factors, men with erectile dysfunction still had a 40 percent increased risk," said Andre Araujo, director of epidemiology at New England Research Institutes and lead author of a report published online Jan. 19 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Though adding erectile dysfunction to the list of known risk factors determined by the Framingham Heart Study—cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure—doesn't improve the prediction of future cardiovascular trouble, it can be a quick, free addition to risk assessment, Araujo said.

"If a man presents with erectile dysfunction, the physician should work him up for cardiovascular disease," he said. "It is low cost—indeed, no cost—with no risk associated with it."

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