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Erectile Dysfunction

What is Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse.1

How common is Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?
ED is a very common condition, particularly in older men. It is estimated that half of all men between 40 and 70 years of age will experience ED at least once.2

What causes Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?
ED can have a range of causes, both physical and psychological including:

  • Stress
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Low self-esteem
  • Guilt
  • Difficulty coping with anger
  • Negative feelings for or by a sexual partner

Usually ED caused by these psychological factors is mostly temporary or in case of persistence should be treated by adequate measures.

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) videos

Produced by Bayer Schering Pharma, 'Helping men get their mojo back'.

Episode 1 - Erection Problems - Was it the tight trousers?
Episode 2 - Get rid of erectile dysfunction
Episode 3 - Speaking to your partner about erectile problems
Episode 4 - Impotence myths - It never made me go blind
Episode 5- Erectile dysfunction facts - The guys could be hiding something
Episode 6- How to speak to the doctor about ED
Episode 7 - Impotence Treatment - what a difference a doctor makes
Episode 8- ED successfully treated
Episode 9- Sex tape

Erectile Dysfunction is notoriously under-reported because of the perceived stigma associated with the diagnosis of ED. It is reported that 70% of ED remains undiagnosed and in a survey of general medical practice less than 12% of men with ED reported having received treatment for it.

There are many ways in which ED can be treated ranging from oral medications (The search of effective oral medication has interested patients and physicians alike. The oral route has the advantages of being less invasive, less mechanically demanding, and more acceptable to patients3), and Intracavernous injections (Therapeutic indications for auto-injections require careful choice of the agent and the dosage to inject depending on the cause of the impotence and the patient's demands and capacity to learn the technique).4

Many men will experience episodes of ED that improve without the need for treatment. Sometimes, persistent ED can be the result of a more serious underlying health condition, such as heart disease. In such cases, treatment will be needed to treat the underlying condition.2

Useful Links:

  • European Men's Health Forum (EMHF)
    The European Men’s Health Forum (EMHF) presents a new and major opportunity for a wide range of organisations and individuals to work together to raise the profile of men’s health at a Europe-wide level and within individual countries. EMHF has been initiated by The Men’s Health Forum, the leading advocate of men’s health in England and Wales, with the support and collaboration of partners who share its aim of tackling the poor state of male health across all the countries of Europe.
  • International Society for the Study of the Aging Male (ISSAM)
    The International Society for the Study of the Aging Male (ISSAM) was formed and incorporated in the United Kingdom in 1997 with the objective of promoting research, study and education on all matters relating to men's health after the age of 30. The Society sets out to promote the concept of healthy aging, and to support improvement of "Quality of Life" "life style" and "healthcare" for the aging man, through dissemination of information, and advancement of scientific and medical knowledge.
  • International Forum on Mood and Anxiety Disorders (IFMAD)
    IFMAD is a professional organisation dedicated to raising awareness of the latest international thinking and innovations in mood and anxiety disorders and promoting the exchange of ideas across the global psychiatric community.
  • Men's Health Forum UK (MHF)
    The Men’s Health Forum, which was founded in 1994, is an independent body that works with a wide range of individuals and organisations to tackle this problem. Now well-established with an active membership, we work for the development of health services that meet men’s needs and to enable men to change their risk-taking behaviours. 

References:
1. NIH Consensus Conference. "NIH Consensus Development Panel on Impotence." Journal of the American Medical Association: 270 (1993): 83-90.
2. National Health Service Direct www.nhs.uk
3. Pharmacotherapy for erectile dysfunction: Tom F.Lue , Keith L.Lee
4. Diagnosis and treatment of impotence. Indications of intracavernous injections: Giuliano F, Blanchet P, Benoît G, Jardin A.

Last Updated 18-08-2010