Causes of Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Understanding the causes of and conditions associated with ED can help you provide tailored advice to your customer. ED:

• Is not a disease, but a symptom that may be due to multiple underlying causes²

• Was self-reported by 42.6% of men (aged ≥18 years) in the UK during a 6-month period⁴

• May affect as many as a quarter of men ≤40 years⁵

• Can occur occasionally or frequently⁶

• May vary from mild (a soft erection) to severe (no erection at all).⁶

ED can have a profound impact on a person’s quality of life, negatively affecting their emotional and psychological wellbeing and self-esteem, as well as their relationships.^7,8 Approach each conversation with the knowledge that effective treatment could not only improve their sexual satisfaction and self-confidence, but also enhance their, and their partners’, sexual quality of life.^9,10

The main causes of ED are:^2,3,6

PHYSICAL OR ORGANIC

PSYCHOLOGICAL

DRUGS/MEDICATION

• Vasculogenic causes are the most common. These include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, peripheral arterial disease, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, smoking, obesity, major pelvic surgery and radiotherapy

• Central and peripheral neurogenic causes, including degenerative disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease), stroke, spinal cord trauma, central nervous system tumours, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease and polyneuropathy

• Anatomical or structural causes, like penile or prostate cancer

• Endocrine causes, including hyper- or hypothyroidism, primary or secondary hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency) and Cushing’s disease

• These include partner- or performance-related issues and relationship problems, stress, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis

• A psychological component may be referred to as “performance anxiety”. Pure psychological issues account for about 1 in 10 cases of ED¹¹

• Some medication can directly cause ED, but many of the medicines listed here are used to treat conditions that are themselves associated with ED; antihypertensives, diuretics, antidepressants, antiarrhythmic drugs, anticholinergics, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, hormones and hormone-modifying drugs, histamine (H2) antagonists, cytotoxic drugs and corticosteroids. Please refer to the Pharmacy Guide for AVARANTE 10mg film coated tablets (tadalafil) for full details

• Alcohol

• Smoking

• Recreational drugs (e.g. heroin, cocaine, cannabis, methadone, anabolic steroids and opiates)