Considerations for prescribing pharmacotherapy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The effectiveness of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) in treating erectile dysfunction (ED) creates a new field of both medical practice and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Both paved the way for emerging minimally invasive therapies to restore male sexual function. However, what is the best drug to achieve the optimum outcome is still a challenging question to be answered.

Areas covered: The general viewpoint of matching the pharmacotherapeutic characteristics with the patient’s medical, social, and psychological variables, in order to balance between efficacy and safety. Several studies had investigated considerations for preference and long-term adherence for PDE5i. However, a thorough investigation of considerations for prescribing ED pharmacotherapy is still lacking in the literature. This is the aim of this manuscript.

Expert opinion: Several issues should be considered in the planning of ED management such as the patient’s and partner’s expectations, etiologic considerations, performance status, safety, adverse effects, ease of administration, compliance, bad experiences with previous treatment, availability, cost, social factors, satisfaction, and finally, regimen considerations. Addressing the patient’s and partner’s individual needs help to tailoring treatment in order to minimize compromises and optimize gains.

KEYWORDS:

• Erectile dysfunction
• pharmacotherapy
• considerations for prescribing treatment

Article highlights

• Previous studies had investigated some considerations for preference and long-term adherence for oral treatment as PDE5i.

• Thorough addressing of considerations for prescribing pharmacotherapy for ED treatment is still lacking in the literature.

• This study has addressed several issues such as patients and partner expectations, etiologic considerations, performance status, safety, adverse effects, ease of administration, compliance, a bad experience with previous treatment, availability, cost, satisfaction, regimen considerations, and finally social factors.

• Despite the current advances and promising technology in drug development, the sustainable satisfactory ED treatment is still missing.

• We will continue to see the evolution of the conservative treatment of ED until far more safe treatment options are proven by multicenter clinical trials and acknowledged by the medical community.

This box summarizes the key points contained in the article.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Declaration of interest

AI El-Sakka has received honoraria for lecturing/speaking from Apex Pharma, Egypt and Biomed, Egypt. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript has not been funded.