• Antidepressants Beta blockers
• Some diuretics or ‘water tablets’
• Anti-ulcer drugs such as cimetidine Diazepam (Valium) and other sedatives Some drugs used to treat epilepsy Antihistamines
• Drugs used to treat high blood pressure

Psychological Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

Many mental health issues can cause erectile dysfunction. These include stress, anxiety and depression, as well as relationship difficulties. Anxiety and depression can result from erectile dysfunction as well, so it can be a chicken-and-egg situation. A psychological cause for ED is more likely if:

• You can still get some erections, for example, early morning erections or erections when masturbating.
• The onset of ED is sudden.
• There is loss of sex drive (libido).
• There is premature ejaculation or failure to ejaculate.
• There are relationship problems or other major stresses.

Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction HQ Pharmacy can occur when we are under excess stress or when we are feeling very anxious or indeed are suffering from depression. In all these situations our body and mind are out of balance. Erectile dysfunction may occur as a result. A classical example of this is performance anxiety, where the worry or fear of not being able to perform or maintain an erection causes such intense anxiety that the erection process is blocked or inhibited. Needless to say, there is a cause-and-effect process here also, in that erectile dysfunction from any cause can result in profound anxiety and a loss of confidence and self-esteem for many men.

It is normal for men to get night-time and early morning erections. If you still have these then it is likely your erectile dysfunction may have a psychological basis. The absence of night-time or early morning erections suggests a physical cause of erectile dysfunction.

Your doctor can make an informed decision about the likely causes of your erectile dysfunction from a good chat with you and an appropriate assessment, which may include a physical examination and blood tests. Don’t let embarrassment or fear prevent you from taking action and seeking help. If you have any concerns or questions about your sexual health, ask. Your doctor is there to help you but don’t leave it up to your doctor to raise these important issues.

Tests for Erectile Dysfunction

Tests carried out may include:

• Blood tests after a period of fasting to check the blood sugar level (for diabetes) and also to measure cholesterol and blood fat levels
• Blood pressure test
• ECG and/or other heart tests
• Other blood tests such as checking your testosterone levels

Most men presenting with erectile dysfunction do not require any further tests, but a minority may benefit from more specialised tests with a urologist.

The Viagra revolution has brought a great impact for around 10% of the male population who will at some point in their lives face the complete inability to achieve or maintain a satisfactory penile erection. This condition, which be­comes more prevalent with age, has the effect of making sexual intercourse difficult, if not impossible. Although proved medical interventions have been available for more than 20 years, recent advances in the understanding of the processes that lead to an erection have spurred new treatments and promise even more targeted therapies in the future.

Popping a Pill

In the tradition of previous erectile-dysfunction therapy discoveries, the erectioninducing effect of sildenafil more commonly known by its brand name, Viagra Australia— was discovered in advertently. While performing clinical stud­ies of sildenafil as a treatment for heart failure, researchers noticed that a statistically significant number of men were getting erections after taking the drug. Knowing a good thing when they saw it, the researchers began a separate clinical program to evaluate the drug as an impotence treatment. The heart treatment protocol was eventually dropped because of a high rate of fatal arrhythmias. But as a treatment for impotence, Viagra be- came the fastest- selling new drug on record, registering worldwide sales of some S700 mil- lion in its first nine months on the market.

Viagra works by inhibiting the degradation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which is the last molecule in the chemical cascade that causes an erection. Viagra blocks the activity of one type of phosphodiesterase, an intracellular enzyme found in vascular smooth muscle. This enzyme normally breaks down cGMP, but when Viagra inhibits the enzyme, the cGMP remains active, and the signal for smooth muscle relaxation is left in the ‘on’ position.