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ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
IT’S TIME TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY No man likes to talk about it; erectile dysfunction is a taboo. For most affected men, it feels like a personal failure. It is stigmatised like a mental handicap and a physical incompetence. The word ‘impotence’ says it all. WORDS DR. MANUELA REISBECK
A
recent European survey from 2020 showed quite surprising results: 51% of men between 40-70 years of age do suffer from ED, in the age group 80+ the prevalence reaches 86%. The shame and insecurity create further psychological problems and as a consequence, men do not
148 / MARCH 2022 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
talk about ED, not with their partners, not even with their doctors. Occasional blue pills may be prescribed with some effect, but the actual problem remains unaddressed. Which is a shame, because as most men don’t realise, the majority of causes for erectile dysfunction are physical and easily treatable. ED is
a common consequence of diabetes, high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, all medical conditions which can be solved if diagnosed in time. A Swiss study from 2019 showed that about 40% of men presenting with ED suffered from significant atherosclerosis. CT scans
