Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges doctors to be more vigilant whilst treating older patients, as a new study shows that cases of sexually transmitted diseases amongst people over 50 years of age have doubled over the past decade, reports The Irish Times.

Research published in the British Medical Journal shows that around 80% of people aged between 50 and 90 years are sexually active, which has further increased the incidence of sexually transmitted infections like syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes, notes the broadsheet.

The Irish daily newspaper learns that rapidly growing use of impotence drugs like Viagra and Cialis amongst older men to treat erectile dysfunction can be the reason behind this mini-epidemic, while older women are vulnerable to the infection as a direct result of changes during the menopause.

The study led by Rachel von Simson from King’s College London and Ranjababu Kulasegaram from St Thomas’s Hospital in London, found that around 20% of males over 50 years of age access HIV care.

According to the study authors the increased incidence of sexual infections, indicates that older men and women are not taking proper precautions for sexual intercourse, which arises the need of spreading awareness about safe sex among the elderly. Older women are known to be more vulnerable physiologically as a direct result of changes that take place during the menopause.

Citing the findings of the study, investigators told The Irish Times that its time GPs should discuss safe sex practices with patients seeking erectile dysfunction treatment. Study authors are still unaware of the reason behind the increase in sexually transmitted infections as only little research has been done regarding the trend.