Epidemiology of erectile dysfunction: the role of medical comorbidities and lifestyle factors

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly prevalent condition in aging men with significant interpersonal and psychosocial consequences. Large-scale epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a consistent age-related loss of erectile function in men from different geographic and ethnic backgrounds, with approximately half of men over 70 years of age reporting moderate to severe symptoms. ED is associated strongly with specific comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension, diabetes mellitus, lower urinary tract symptoms, prostate cancer, and depression. Lifestyle factors, including obesity and exercise frequency, also have been implicated in recent studies.