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Erectile Dysfunction (Impotence) Introduction |
Impotence, also known as erectile
dysfunction, is defined as an
inability to develop and maintain
an erection that is satisfactory
for sexual activity. Most cases of
erectile dysfunction are
secondary erectile dysfunction,
which means that a man has lost
the ability to maintain erections.
Primary erectile dysfunction is a
situation where the man has never
been able to develop an erection.
The
causes of erectile
dysfunction are varied and
include: psychological, vascular
origins (arteriosclerosis,
diabetes), neurological (stroke,
injury, seizure), hormonal (low
testosterone, Cushings disease),
and iatrogenic (drugs, surgery,
etc.). Diagnosis of erectile
dysfunction is usually arrived at
by patient report and
determination of a normal phase of
nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).
The NPT test can point towards a
psychological cause (most common),
or one that is organic in nature.
Patients with
erectile dysfunction of
a psychological origin will tend to
have nocturnal erections. [1,
2]
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Erectile Dysfunction Statistics
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It is
estimated that between 10 and 20
million adult men in the United
States are affected by Erectile
Dysfunction.
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Roughly 52% of men between the
ages of 40-70 are affected, with
the percentage increasing with
age. [3]
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Erectile Dysfunction Symptoms |
Patients
complain of an inability to achieve
or maintain an erection that is
sufficient for sexual intercourse. Patients with Erectile
Dysfunction may also show
signs of depression, anxiety,
prostate surgery, and may have a
history of drug use (prescribed or
illicit). [4]
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Learn More About
Erectile Dysfunction |
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