The chronic inability to produce or sustain a penile erection strong enough for fulfilling sexual performance is known as erectile dysfunction. More than 152 million men worldwide were thought to have had ED in 1995. The estimated number of people with ED in the globe in 2025 is 322 million.
Erectile dysfunction was once thought to be brought on by psychological issues, which can be treated at an erectile dysfunction clinic in Singapore. It is now understood that physical issues, often involving the blood flow to the penis, are the primary cause of erectile dysfunction in the majority of men. Both the diagnosis and therapy of erectile dysfunction have made significant strides.
What are the causes of erectile dysfunction risk factors?
Erectile dysfunction is a symptom that many ailments and diseases share, according to the NIH.
The following are possible direct risk factors for erectile dysfunction:
- Prostate issues
- Diabetes type 2
- Hypogonadism in connection with certain endocrinologic disorders
- Hypertension
- Vascular surgery and vascular disease
- High blood cholesterol levels
- Low HDL values
- Persistent sleep issues
- Drugs
- Neurological conditions
- The Peyronie’s virus
- Priapism
- Depression
- Usage of alcohol
- Insufficient sexual knowledge
- Shoddy sexual methods
- Insufficient interpersonal connections
- A lot of chronic conditions, particularly renal failure and dialysis
- Smoking, which makes other risk factors, including vascular disease or high blood pressure, worse
Given the increased chance of direct risk factors, some of which are stated above, age looks to be a significant indirect risk factor. For the prevention or treatment of erectile dysfunction, accurate risk factor identification and characterization are crucial.
What are the many forms and root causes of ED?
Some of the various forms and potential causes of erectile dysfunction include the following:
Organic erectile dysfunction
The most frequent cause of ED, particularly in older men, is organic ED, which includes abnormalities in the penile arteries, veins, or both. Arteriosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries, is typically the cause of arterial problems, however, trauma to the arteries may also be to blame. Obesity, inactivity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking are all controllable risk factors for arteriosclerosis, which commonly begins with erectile dysfunction and progresses to the heart.
Several medical professionals think that issues with maintaining a solid erection are caused by difficulties with the smooth muscle tissue in the body of the penis, which atrophy, or the partial or complete withering away of tissue, and fibrosis, or the development of extra tissue. Erectile dysfunction frequently begins with a poor capacity to sustain an erection.
While the illness is known as a venous leak, the smooth muscle that surrounds the veins is malfunctioning and not the veins themselves. The final consequence is trouble maintaining a strong erection, which is now thought to be an early sign of vascular disease and atherosclerosis.
Diabetes
In diabetics, erectile dysfunction is prevalent. In the United States, between 35 and 50 percent of adult males with diabetes are impotent. The procedure causes the arteries to stiffen prematurely and extremely severely. Diabetes patients frequently experience peripheral neuropathy, which affects the nerves that govern erections.
Depression
Erectile dysfunction (ED) can also result from depression, which is strongly connected to ED. Men with depression should have a thorough medical and psychological evaluation since there is a tripartite association between depression, ED, and cardiovascular disease. Erectile dysfunction is a side effect of several antidepressants.
Neurological reasons
ED has a variety of neurological (nerve) causes. Erectile dysfunction can be brought on by diabetes, long-term drinking, multiple sclerosis, heavy metal toxicity, spinal cord and nerve trauma, and nerve damage following pelvic surgeries.
Drug-related ED
ED is commonly treated using a wide range of prescription pharmaceuticals, including blood pressure meds, antianxiety and antidepressant medications, glaucoma eye drops, and cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
Estrogen-induced ED
ED may be brought on by hormonal imbalances including excessive prolactin, bodybuilders abusing steroids, too much or too little thyroid hormone, and hormones being given for prostate cancer. Low testosterone is a risk factor for ED but is not always the only one.
Untimely Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation, a kind of male sexual dysfunction, is identified by:
- Ejaculation, which occurs always or almost always right before or shortly after vaginal penetration
- Inability to postpone ejaculation on all or virtually all vaginal penetrations; adverse personal effects, including anxiety, inconvenience, frustration, and/or avoiding sexual intimacy
There are two types of premature ejaculation: acquired and lifelong.
Perpetually early ejaculation
The patient has suffered lifetime premature ejaculation ever since they first started coitus.
Prematurely acquired ejaculation:
The patient had effective coital relationships in the past and has just recently developed acquired premature ejaculation.
Performance phobia
A kind of psychogenic ED called performance anxiety is typically brought on by stress.
Diagnosis:–
The following diagnostic techniques for ED may be used:
Sexual or medical history of the patient
This may assist distinguish between issues with erection, ejaculation, orgasm, or sexual desire and uncover disorders or diseases that cause impotence.
Inspection of the body
To search for signs of systemic issues, such as these:
- If the penis does not react as expected to a particular contact, there might be an issue with the nerve system
- Hair pattern is an example of a secondary sex feature that might indicate hormonal issues with the endocrine system
- An aneurysm might be a sign of circulatory issues
- Peculiar features of the penis might point to the impotence’s root cause
Lab examinations
They can include creatinine and liver enzyme assessments, blood counts, urinalyses, lipid profiles, and lipid profiles. Men with ED frequently have their blood testosterone levels checked, especially if they have a history of diabetes or low libido.
Psychosocial assessment
Identifying psychological aspects that could be influencing performance is done. To find out what expectations and views were experienced during sexual activity, the sexual partner may also be questioned.
The best treatment options:–
Your doctor at the best men’s health clinic in Singapore will decide on the best course of treatment for erectile dysfunction depends on:
- Age, general health, and medical background
- Size of the illness
- Your tolerance for specific procedures, medications, or treatments
- Predictions on the course of the sickness
- Your preference or opinion
Medical procedures:–
Sildenafil
A prescription drug used orally to treat ED. Many men might have an erection 30 to 60 minutes after taking the prescription, although it works best when taken on an empty stomach. Sildenafil citrate has to be sexually stimulated to be most effective.
Vardenafil
This medication functions similarly to sildenafil citrate and has a similar chemical makeup.
Tadalafil
Tadalafil citrate is believed to stay in the body longer than other drugs in its class, according to studies. The majority of men who use this drug discover that they have an erection 4 to 5 hours after taking the tablet and that the effects might continue up to 24 to 36 hours.
Avanafil
When using an ED drug, the FDA advises men to use general care. Males who use nitrate-containing medicines, such as nitroglycerin, should NOT utilize these drugs. When used with one of these drugs, nitrates might cause an excessive drop in blood pressure. Men who use tadalafil or vardenafil should also use alpha-blockers carefully and only as prescribed by their doctor because they may cause hypotension.
To identify the underlying cause of ED, experts advise that men undergo a thorough physical examination and medical history. Men should disclose to their doctor everything they are taking, including over-the-counter drugs.
