[Erectile dysfunction--incidence, causes and risk factors]

The inability of a male to attain and maintain an erection sufficient to allow vaginal penetration is called erectile dysfunction. It is a part of general male sexual dysfunction called impotence, which also includes libidinal, orgasmic and ejaculatory dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction affects millions of men and although it may not mean a total loss of sexual satisfaction, it often creates a mental stress that affects the man's quality of life. Knowledge of erectile dysfunction has increased remarkably over the past decade. Nowadays, about 50-85% of erectile dysfunction patients can be shown to have a somatic cause by modern methods of examination. Erectile dysfunction may also occur as a result of specific illness or medical treatment, and it is often multifactorial in etiology. Erectile dysfunction increases with age.