Men who suffer with impotence and depression are more likely to suffer from serious heart problems, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Florence examined 2,300 hospital patients who were being treated for impotence. Their past medical records were checked and they were asked to fill in a questionnaire about depression. Over the next four years, their health was tracked and a strong link has been found between severe depression and heart problems.

Impotence and depression are often linked, as men who are depressed or lacking in self-confidence may find it harder to become mentally aroused. Both depression and impotence have been linked to heart disease and the combination of both may increase a man’s risk of dying prematurely, experts suspect.

The new study demonstrates the importance of looking at the whole person when treating erectile dysfunction. The condition, which affects 2.3 million men in the UK, can often be caused by underlying health problems. Indeed impotence is often a sign of heart problems, because when our hearts are not pumping blood around our bodies efficiently, this can have an impact on the flow of blood to the penis.

Explaining the link between impotence and heart disease, Dr Mark Pritzker, a researcher from the Minneapolis Heart Foundation, has said: "because the blood vessels that supply the penis are narrower than arteries in other areas of the body, atherosclerosis - the disease process that leads to heart attacks and strokes - may manifest itself as erectile dysfunction before the disease becomes apparent in other arteries.”

As with impotence, depression commonly affects men in the UK. An estimated one in five people are depressed at some time in their life. Feeling anxious, guilty or depressed can cause sexual problems.