[Erectile dysfunction: a sentinel symptom?]

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a frequent disorder affecting the man's sexual and relational quality of life. French epidemiological studies estimate that the prevalence of ED is between 11% and 44% and prevalence surveys show a correlation between ED and age: the relative risk of erectile dysfunction increases by a factor of 2 to 4 between the ages of 40 and 70 years. Few patients consult their doctor and only a small proportion of them receive treatment and few doctors take the initiative to discuss the question of their patients' sex life. Doctors should now have a good understanding of erectile dysfunction and must be aware of the importance of detecting or at least investigating any erectile dysfunction, which can be the first symptom of an underlying disease such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, androgen deficiency or a drug-induced effect. Demonstration of erectile disorders therefore represents an excellent opportunity to conduct a general work-up, as more than one-third of patients with ED ignore their underlying health problem and management of ED is therefore an integral part of preventive medicine.