Background Information
What Is Erectile Dysfunction (commonly known as “impotency”)?
Erectile dysfunction is defined as the inability to achieve and/or sustain an erection for satisfactory sexual performance.
Erectile dysfunction is the most common sexual disorder in men.
Degrees of erectile dysfunction:
Mild……….successful erection 7-8 out of 10 attempts
Moderate….successful erection 4-6 out of 10 attempts
Severe…….successful erection 0-3 out of 10 attempts
Men experiencing erectile dysfunction often report increasing anxiety, loss of self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, tension and difficulty in the relationship with their partner.
Erectile Dysfunction Statistics:
One in 10 men in the world have erectile dysfunction.
30 million men in the United States have erectile dysfunction.
50% of men with diabetes have erectile dysfunction, frequently within 10 years of diagnosis.
The likelihood of erectile dysfunction increases with age: 39% at age 40, 65% over the age of 65.
Smokers have a higher likelihood of erectile dysfunction. Men who smoke more than 1 pack per day have a 50% higher chance of impotency than nonsmokers the same age.
Erectile Dysfunction appears to be on the rise:
More men are experiencing impotency because the baby boomer generation is getting older. According to same reports, every 7 seconds a baby boomer turns 50 years old.
Awareness of the problem is increasing, which increases the number of men who are treated.
Because, in the past, men have generally been unwilling to talk about their problem or seek treatment, erectile dysfunction has been underreported.
Many physicians are not aware of the treatment options, so patients have been either undertreated or not treated at all.
According to a report in Newsweek, 11/17/97, “Each new drug, with its attendant publicity, brings more men into the game. Some urologists expect the number of men seeking treatment to double in the coming years.”
Causes of Erectile Dysfunction:
Arterial Insufficiency (Vascular disease): Diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking
Surgery: Prostate removal for prostate cancer, pelvic surgery for colon cancer
Nerve damage: Spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke
Endocrine imbalance: Low testosterone levels
Emotional/psychological: Depression, stress, anxiety
Medications/drugs: Blood pressure medication, alcohol, sedatives, narcotics