Causes of Impotence (Erectile Dysfunction)

Effects of Disease States and Drugs Diabetes is the most common cause of sexual dysfunction seen in men. It has been estimated that this has been up to 50-60% of the diabetic men have erectile dysfunction. Attention must be paid with diabetics to a diabetic neuropathy, loss of vibratory sensations of the lower extremities. Possibility of presence or absence of peripheral neuropathies.

The fact that other diseases are associated with peripheral neuropathies include chronic renal failure, carcinomas, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, herpes zoster, anemias, breathing problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as the hereditary neuropathies, there is a tremendous list of these. It is estimated that fifty percent or more of the men with Multiple Sclerosis erectile dysfuntion.

It has been correlated that bladder dysfunction can be associated with erectile dysfunction that is seen in multiple sclerosis. Parkinson's disease and temporal lobe abnormalities are risk factors. Stroke and alcoholism has a very high risk because of damage to the testicles in chronic alcoholism and the loss of Testosterone. Aging is a tremendous risk of erectile dysfunction, often related to decrease of male hormones. Chronic renal insufficiency is another potential factor. Many drugs used to treat high blood pressure that comes with chronic renal insufficiency can cause erectile dysfunction, and many drugs by themselves cause it.

 

Drugs That Cause Impotence

Recreational drugs are a major cause of erection problems. The number one drug is tobacco. Experiments show that even two cigarettes will markedly decrease the blood flow to the penis if smoked before sex. Marijuana and alcohol are also big causes of erection problems.

Prescription drugs are also a big culprit, especially blood pressure drugs. The major problem drugs include:

1. Estrogen's-used in men with prostate cancer
2. Antiandrogens-(flutamide) used in men with prostate cancer
3. Lupron-Prostate cancer drug
4. Proscar- for men with enlarged prostates, can decrease the volume of ejaculate
5. Diuretics- used for men with heart disease and hypertension
6. Methyldopa-older treatment for blood pressure
7. Beta blockers -for heart disease and hypertension
8. Calcium Channel Blockers- new treatments for hypertension
9. Tranquilizers
10. Decongestants
11. Seizure Medications
12. Drugs to lower Cholesterol
13. Cimetidine-a drug for ulcers
14. Digoxin- a drug for heart failure

Other causes include surgical treatments for prostate problems have a very high incidence of erectile dysfunction, bladder removal for cancer, urethral stricture urinary surgery for people with a direct vision interior urethrotomy, carcinoma of the penis, priapism, renal transplantation, colon surgery, radiation, lumbosacral surgery, penile amputations, penile surgery as a child for many of the congenital problems that we see.

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