Drop-out reasons and complications in self-injection therapy with a triple vasoactive drug mixture in sexual erectile dysfunction

The usefulness, complications and reasons for discontinuing the self-injection program with a combination of papaverine, phentolamine and prostaglandin E-1, were evaluated in 189 patients (mean age 57.2 y), who were included from April 1993 to September 1995 [mean follow-up 10.25 months]. Patients were split into two groups: Active, those who continued with the program (48%); and Inactive, those who discontinued treatment or failed to attend consultation after five months from the last visit (52%). Only 30% of the inactive group reported failure to achieve response with the self-injected doses. Fibrosis in 5.3% and prolonged erection in 3.7% were the most severe complications. Patients lacking organic pathology showed a clear tendency to reduce the drug dose during treatment, recover spontaneous erections and discontinue the program for reasons unrelated to drug efficacy. The triple drug mixture provides an effective alternative in the treatment of impotence, with a low rate of complications.