Erectile dysfunction in diabetic patients.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) appears to be highly prevalent in diabetic patients (around 50% at 50 years of age) and more severe than in the rest of the population. Its etiology is multifactorial in this subset of patients. ED is highly correlated to multiple vascular risk factors and can be considered as a manifestation of endothelial dysfunction in general, alerting the physician to look at underlying silent coronary bed atherosclerosis. It is also dependent on the poor control of diabetes and on the presence of its chronic complications. Because of the multiple etiologies of ED in diabetics, a multifactorial approach is warranted to get an optimal response in treating such patients: diabetes control, use of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, psychosexual counseling, and choice of antihypertensive medications.