For many people with erectile dysfunction, It is recommended that you get a diagnosis from a Doctor to ensure that you don’t have any chronic health conditions. If your doctor suspects that an underlying condition might be involved, you might need further tests or a consultation with a specialist.

Tests for underlying conditions might include:

  • Physical exam.This includes a careful examination of your penis and testicles and checking your nerves for sensation.
  • Blood tests.A sample of your blood might be sent to a lab to check for signs of heart disease, diabetes, low testosterone levels and other health conditions.
  • Urine tests (urinalysis).Like blood tests, urine tests are used to look for signs of diabetes and other underlying health conditions.
  • This test is usually performed by a specialist in an office. It involves using a wandlike device (transducer) held over the blood vessels that supply the penis. It creates a video image to let your doctor see if you have blood flow problems.

This test is sometimes done in combination with an injection of medications into the penis to stimulate blood flow and produce an erection.

  • Psychological exam.Your doctor might ask questions to screen for depression and other possible psychological causes of erectile dysfunction.

The Global Prevalence of Erectile Dysfunction: A Review

Anna Kessler 1, Sam Sollie 1, Ben Challacombe 2, Karen Briggs 2, Mieke Van Hemelrijck 1

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 Abstract Objective: To evaluate the global prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED); as well as its association with physiological and pathological ageing by examining the relationship between ED and cardiovascular disease (CVD), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and dementia. We also aimed to characterise discrepancies caused by the use of different ED screening tools.

Methods: The Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE) and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) were searched to find population-based studies investigating the prevalence of ED and the association between ED and CVD, BPH, and dementia in the general population.

Results: The global prevalence of ED was 3-76.5%. ED was associated with increasing age. Use of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS)-derived questionnaire identified a high prevalence of ED in young men. ED was positively associated with CVD. Men with ED have an increased risk of all-cause mortality odds ratio (OR) 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.57), as well as CVD mortality OR 1.43 (95% CI 1.00-2.05). Men with ED are 1.33-6.24-times more likely to have BPH then men without ED, and 1.68-times more likely to develop dementia than men without ED.

Conclusion: ED screening tools in population-based studies are a major source of discrepancy. Non-validated questionnaires may be less sensitive than the IIEF and MMAS-derived questionnaire. ED constitutes a large burden on society given its high prevalence and impact on quality of life, and is also a risk factor for CVD, dementia, and all-cause morta