title: Diagnostic evaluation of erectile dysfunction in the era of oral therapy.
abstract: Therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED) may be specific to the cause of ED or it may be nonspecific. There are only three causes of ED which have specific therapy: psychogenic, endocrine and certain types of reversible vasculogenic ED. In the era of oral therapy for ED, treatment is not cause-specific in the great majority of patients. For this great majority, only the basic evaluation of ED is needed. Only when there is a strong suspicion that the cause of a patient's ED is endocrine, psychogenic or reversible vascular disease are additional diagnostic tests indicated. In these three categories of patients, specific treatment of the cause of ED can produce a permanent and dramatic improvement in sexual function and satisfaction. International Journal of Impotence Research (2000) 12, Suppl 4, S12-S14.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, California, USA. Isharlip@aol.com
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Sharlip
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000175:diagnosis; D018783:Impotence, Vasculogenic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis