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- Erectile dysfunction is a more medically specific term for impotence.
- ED affects almost 20 percent of adult men. The incidence of ED increases with age, with chronic ED affecting as many as 50 percent of men between the ages of 40 and 70. That's as many as 30 million men in the U.S. alone. However, ED is not an unavoidable consequence of aging. ED is not considered normal at any age.
- ED can affect different men to different degrees. Failure to achieve an erection less than 20% of the time is not unusual and treatment is rarely needed.
- Men affected by ED may experience performance anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem and relationship conflicts. And these can combine to compound the problem.
- Stress, anxiety and depression are leading causes of temporary ED.
- ED usually has a physical cause, often associated with smoking, alcohol abuse, trauma, and underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or vascular disease. It can also be a side effect of certain medications.
- Overweight men are more likely to have ED
- Tobacco, alcohol and recreational drugs can all damage a man's blood vessels and/or restrict blood flow to the penis, causing ED
- Atherosclerosis alone accounts for 50% to 60% of ED cases in men 60 and older. Between 35% and 50% of men with diabetes have ED.
- Many men don't seek help from a doctor, deciding instead to either live with ED or treat themselves with a variety of unproven over-the-counter or over-the-internet treatments.
- It is important to have a physician determine the cause of ED so the appropriate treatment can be prescribed.
- The vast majority of cases of ED can be successfully treated, regardless of cause and regardless of age. A variety of treatment options are available.
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