Running head: ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AND THE USE OF VIAGRA
Erectile Dysfunction and the Use of Viagra
EXCELSIOR COLLEGE
November 19, 2009
Abstract
In the past, a man who was unable to achieve or maintain an erection for sexual intercourse was considered impotent. Medical professionals conducted research because this problem was very common among adult males of various ages. The medical professionals decided that it was no longer politically correct to call it impotence because it is a disease and has renamed it to erectile dysfunction. We will analyze some of the cause and treatment available to men and the effectiveness of Viagra for erectile dysfunction.
Erectile Dysfunction and the Use of Viagra
Erectile dysfunction refers to a man’s lack of ability to attain, or to maintain, an erection that is sufficient for sexual intercourse. This difficulty has also been referred to as impotence, a term that is no longer preferred because it is pejorative (McLaren A., 2007). Some men with erectile dysfunction report that they are completely unable to obtain an erection; however, it is more common for men to report that they are able to get a partial erection that is too flaccid to achieve penetration or that they are unable to maintain the erection long enough to engage in intercourse. Men with erectile difficulties often report that they feel less masculine and embarrassed by the dysfunction; a minority of men report that they feel depressed (Eardley I. and Krishna S., 2003).
Numerous television and magazines advertisements show that erectile dysfunction is very common among men. Scientific studies provide estimates that are more precise and suggest that 10% of men report difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection (Simons & Carey, 2001). Several studies demonstrate that prevalence increases with age; for example, Laumann, Paik, and Rosen (1999) report that prevalence rates of 7% among men between the age of 18-29, 9% for men...