Erectile function and dysfunction How it works and what can be done when it doesn't Gerald H. Jordan, MD VOL 105 / NO 2 / FEBRUARY 1999 / POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE This page is best viewed with a browser that supports tables Preview : The advent of "the pill" for erectile dysfunction has prompted discussion in the news as well as jokes on late-night talk shows. However, the underlying causes of the condition are complex, and no single treatment is right for all patients. To select the best therapy for each patient, it is important to understand how an erection works and how the available treatments address the various causes of dysfunction. Dr Jordan presents a comprehensive, straightforward (sometimes humorous) look at the mechanisms involved in erectile function and offers an approach to management of dysfunction. A n erection is a complex, involuntary, neuropsychological, hormone-mediated vascular event that occurs when blood rapidly flows into the penis and becomes trapped in its spongy chambers (1-6). Erectile dysfunction, the preferred term for impotence, was defined at the National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference, December 1992, as "the inability to achieve or maintain an erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse." Satisfaction is determined by both patient and partner, making erectile dysfunction a "couple's disease." Understanding the mechanisms involved in erectile function is helpful in treatment of dysfunction. | |
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