The symptoms of erectile disorders include a persistent or recurrent inability to attain or maintain an adequate erection until completion of sexual activity. Erectile disorders are characterized by marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and can be caused by psychological or physiological factors at different times in a man’s life or may be lifelong in duration. Types of erectile disorders include erectile dysfunction, Peyronie's disease, and priapism.
Erectile dysfunction can be a total inability to achieve erection, an inconsistent ability to achieve erection, or a tendency to sustain erections only for a brief time. Physiological causes of erectile dysfunction include damage to the nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and tissues by diseases such as diabetes. Other causes include surgeries such as radical prostate surgery for cancer, certain drugs (blood pressure drugs), psychological factors like stress, as well as smoking and hormone imbalances.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Alprostadil, Sildenafil, Tadalafil, Vardenafil
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Apomorphine, Papaverine, Phentolamine
Peyronie's disease is an inflammatory condition that is characterized by the formation of plaque or hardened scar tissue beneath the skin of the penis. The scarring is noncancerous, but often results in painful erections and curvature of an erect penis. The exact causes of Peyronie's disease are not fully understood, although researchers have speculated that penile trauma such as from sports injuries and vigorous sexual activity results in short-term instances of this condition. Genetic factors and connective tissue disorders are also thought to contribute to the development of this disease.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: None
Off-Label Prescription Drug Breakthrough Option: Interferon Alfa-2b
Priapism is the occurrence of any persistent erection for more than four hours in the absence of sexual stimulation. Priapism is not associated with sexual excitement, and the erection does not stop after ejaculation occurs. This condition is a genuine urologic emergency, and medical intervention is necessary to avoid complications such as infection and loss of penis. Causes of priapism include diseases including sickle-cell disease, cancer, and certain psychiatric drugs.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Etilefrine
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Phenylephrine, Terbutaline
The prostate is a small organ located below the bladder that produces a fluid substance that becomes part of the semen. Prostate disorders are quite common in men, and include benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), nonbacterial prostatitis, and prostate cancer. The most common prostate problem in men under age 50 is prostatitis, an inflammatory condition. In men over the age of 50, the most common prostate disorder is BPH. Older men are also at risk for prostate cancer; however, this disease is much less common than BPH.
Also referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate and is a common occurrence in older men. Many men over 40 have a slight enlargement of the prostate; more than 90% of men over 80 have enlarged prostates. Less than half of men may experience symptoms associated with BHP which include a weak urine stream, dribbling after urinating, straining to urinate, incomplete emptying of the bladder, and the need to urinate more than two times per night, among others. Treatments for BPH include “watchful waiting,” lifestyle changes, drugs, and surgery.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Doxazosin, Finasteride, Terazosin
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Prazosin, Phenoxybenzamine
Nonbacterial prostatitis is the most common type of prostatitis and involves inflammation of the prostate gland (male sex gland) without known causes. Researchers have several theories regarding the causes of nonbacterial prostatitis including the presence of certain fungi, viruses, and bacteria (even though tests for bacteria come back negative). It has been suggested that irritation caused by the reflux of urine into the prostate may result in nonbacterial prostatitis. Up to 65% of men with chronic prostatitis have this nonbacterial form. Symptoms include pain, frequent urination, and pain or burning on urination, among others. Complications of nonbacterial prostatitis involve sexual and urinary problems. Overall, researchers feel that treatment of nonbacterial prostatitis is challenging, drug failures are quite common, and there is very little evidence to support any type of treatment.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Allopurinol, Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Ciprofloxacin, Doxazosin, Levofloxacin, Terazosin, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
Please enter a search term to begin your search.