Overview

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?

Anatomical problems that interfere with the ability to have sex can be described as sexual dysfunction. The most common types of sexual dysfunction include:

• Decrease in libido 
• Low testosterone 
• Erectile dysfunction 
• Ejaculation disorders 
• Difficulty in reaching orgasm 

These may be successfully treated by a urologist, who can help you get an accurate diagnosis and can suggest effective treatments or procedures for it.

Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, is a type of sexual dysfunction that’s generally defined as the inability to achieve an erection sufficient for sexual activity. The National Institutes of Health estimate that erectile dysfunction may affect as many as 30 million men in the United States. In fact, as many as 50 percent of men age 40 or older will experience erectile dysfunction during their lives.

Erectile dysfunction can severely impact a man’s wellbeing and quality of life beyond the inability to have intercourse. Erectile dysfunction is often a cardiovascular disease, involving blood supply to the penis. The issues involved in erectile dysfunction are very similar to what’s seen in patients with heart disease.

Men who have erectile dysfunction have a 50 percent higher risk of developing a heart attack or stroke and a 20 percent greater chance of dying from any cause compared to men who don’t have erectile dysfunction. In some cases, erectile dysfunction can be considered an early warning system for heart attack and stroke. Your physician can look at the underlying causes of your erectile dysfunction and help you address any potentially life-threatening conditions.