Pharmacotherapy of sexual dysfunctions : current status

The sexual dysfunctions are one of the most prevalent conditions. Sexual dysfunctions can have profound effect on the psychological well-being of an individual and the psychosexual relationship of a couple. Management of the sexual dysfunction should be preceded by an accurate diagnosis reached after a complete medical and sexual history and physical examination. Current focus of researchers has been on understanding the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and other sexual dysfunctions that can help in developing newer pharmacological cures for these conditions.Recently, a number of clinical trials have studied the potential effectiveness of the phosphodiesterase (PDE)-5 inhibitor sildenafil in the treatment of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and Premature Ejaculation (PME). The introduction of PDE-5 inhibitors like sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil has revolutionized the treatment of sexual dysfunctions.This review focuses on the recent pharmacological advances in the treatment of common sexual dysfunctions like ED and PME with special focus on the role of PDE-5 inhibitors. Also discussed is the pharmacological treatment of other less prevalent and recognized disorders like female sexual dysfunction, drug induced sexual dysfunction etc.