Managing ED: implications for the every-day clinical practice

Managing ED: implications for the every-day clinical practice

The advances in basic and clinical research in ED made during the last 15 years has led to the development of
several new treatment options for ED, including new pharmacological agents for intracavernous, intraurethral,
and, more recently, oral use (11-13). Reconstructive vascular surgery is associated with poor outcomes in long-
term follow-up (14,15). As a result, treatment strategies have been significantly modified.
The current availability of effective and safe oral drugs for ED, together with the tremendous media
interest in this condition, has resulted in an increasing number of men seeking help for ED. Many physicians
without background knowledge and clinical experience of the diagnosis and treatment of ED are involved in
decision-making concerning the evaluation and treatment of these men. Therefore, some men with ED may
undergo little or no evaluation before treatment is initiated, or men without ED may seek treatment in order to
enhance their sexual performance. In such circumstances, the underlying disease causing the symptom (ED)
may remain untreated. Such observations have made the development of guidelines for the diagnosis and
treatment of ED, a necessity.