Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability of the penis to become sufficiently rigid to engage in sexual intercourse. Reliable estimates suggest that one of every ten men will suffer the problem at some time during his lifetime. It is essential to understand that in the great majority of instances ED is not a disease but a symptom of an underlying problem. The primary efforts of the physicians and specialists at the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute is to diagnose and treat the underlying problem to eliminate the symptom.
How many men have ED?
It is not known exactly how many men have ED. Estimates place the number between 15 million to 30 million. The range is great because surveys designed to assess the incidence of the problem used differing definitions. At one time the term impotence covered all male sexual problems ranging from the inability to obtain an erection to the inability to produce viable sperm for conception. The term “erectile dysfunction” is more recent and applies specifically to the performance of a man’s penis. ED now is most commonly defined as an inability to obtain an erection sufficient to complete intercourse satisfactorily.
According to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 7.7 of every 1,000 visits by men to a physicians office in 1985 were made for ED. This rate tripled to 22.3 ED visits per 1,000 by the late 1990s. The 300% rise in visits can be attributed not to an increased incidence of the problem but to increased public awareness created by the introduction of Viagra, the first successful oral therapy for ED. Other therapies existed prior to Viagra but they were invasive or awkward to administer in sexual situations.
There are now three oral therapies and others in trials. Other therapies and procedures have been vastly refined. The appropriate therapy is determined on an individual basis by consultation between patient and physician following a comprehensive diagnosis. One of the great secondary benefits wrought by the introduction of oral therapies is that they called public attention to the problem and dispelled the myth that the majority of ED was psychological.
