Q. My husband has been taking metoprolol for high blood pressure. Recently I noticed something strange that I called “curved penis.” Instead of his normal erection, his penis curved almost straight up (instead of straight out).
This has become very disturbing, as it interferes with normal intercourse. I am not sure how to broach the subject without causing him embarrassment.
I Googled “curved penis” and found it is actually a medical condition called Peyronie’s disease. Although one explanation is the growth of scar tissue inhibiting the normal erection, another source of the symptom is beta-blocking drugs!
I asked my husband how long ago he was prescribed the metoprolol and he said about six months. Coincidentally, that’s when I started noticing this problem. Could this drug be the cause?
A. Beta-blockers such as atenolol, carvedilol, metoprolol and propranolol have occasionally been associated with Peyronie’s. This penile curvature can make intercourse challenging, as you have noted.
Your husband should discuss his blood pressure medication with his doctor. New guidelines for hypertension treatment suggest that a beta-blocker such as metoprolol should not be the first pill prescribed for this condition. Peyronie’s sometimes disappears spontaneously, but it may be more likely to do so if the drug that triggered it is no longer in the picture.
You may be interested to learn that the FDA just approved a new injectable medicine (Xiaflex) for the treatment of this condition. It is an enzyme, collagenase, that breaks down connective tissue. It has been used since 2010 to treat Dupuytren’s contracture, a thickening of connective tissue in the hand that makes it difficult to open and close fingers normally (New England Journal of Medicine, Sept. 3, 2009).
Xiaflex will probably be quite expensive, and there are potential side effects. There is more information on the drug at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
