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American Family Physician Nov 2016Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. It is common, affecting at least 12 million...
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. It is common, affecting at least 12 million U.S. men. The five-question International Index of Erectile Function allows rapid clinical assessment of ED. The condition can be caused by vascular, neurologic, psychological, and hormonal factors. Common conditions related to ED include diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, testosterone deficiency, and prostate cancer treatment. Performance anxiety and relationship issues are common psychological causes. Medications and substance use can cause or exacerbate ED; antidepressants and tobacco use are the most common. ED is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in men with metabolic syndrome. Tobacco cessation, regular exercise, weight loss, and improved control of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia are recommended initial lifestyle interventions. Oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors are the firstline treatments for ED. Second-line treatments include alprostadil and vacuum devices. Surgically implanted penile prostheses are an option when other treatments have been ineffective. Counseling is recommended for men with psychogenic ED.
Topics: Alprostadil; Chronic Disease; Erectile Dysfunction; Exercise; Healthy Lifestyle; Humans; Male; Penile Prosthesis; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; Tobacco Use Cessation; Vacuum; Vasodilator Agents; Weight Loss
PubMed: 27929275
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Graduate Medical Education Apr 2017
Topics: Alprostadil; Internship and Residency; Pipemidic Acid
PubMed: 28439366
DOI: 10.4300/JGME-D-16-00850.1 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2022Erectile dysfunction is increasingly affecting men, from the elderly to young adults, being a sexual disorder related to the inability to generate or maintain a penile... (Review)
Review
Erectile dysfunction is increasingly affecting men, from the elderly to young adults, being a sexual disorder related to the inability to generate or maintain a penile erection. This disorder is related to psychosocial factors such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, to organic factors such as the presence of preexisting conditions like hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia. The pathophysiology of the disease is related to changes in the neurotransmission of the autonomic or the non-cholinergic non-adrenergic nervous system, as well as the release of local mediators, such as thromboxane A and endothelin, and hormonal action. These changes lead to impaired relaxation of cavernous smooth muscle, which reduces local blood flow and impairs penile erection. Currently, therapy is based on oral vasodilation, such as sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil and iodenafil, or by direct administration of these agents into the corpus cavernosum or by intraurethral route, such as alprostadil and papaverine. Despite this, studies that consolidate the understanding of its pathophysiological process contribute to the discovery of new more efficient drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. In this sense, in the present work an extensive survey was carried out of the mechanisms already consolidated and the most recent ones related to the development of erectile dysfunction.
PubMed: 35865945
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.895044 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2020Patients with kidney transplantation often have a worse quality of life than the general population. One of the reasons for this, in male patients, is the high... (Review)
Review
Patients with kidney transplantation often have a worse quality of life than the general population. One of the reasons for this, in male patients, is the high prevalence of erectile dysfunction. This is mainly due to the presence of comorbidities, surgery for kidney transplantation, adverse drug effects, psychological changes related to chronic disease, as well as hyperprolactinemia and hypogonadism. Whenever these endocrine dysfunctions occur after kidney transplantation, they must be corrected with appropriate treatment, i.e., testosterone replacement therapy. Administration of the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE5i) sildenafil at the recommended posology does not significantly alter the pharmacokinetics of the calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporin A or tacrolimus and does not impair kidney allograft function. Tacrolimus increases the peak concentration and prolongs the half-life of PDE5i in kidney transplant patients and, therefore, daily administration cannot be recommended due to the significant drop in blood pressure. Intracavernous injection or topical application of alprostadil can be a second-line option for the treatment of erectile dysfunction after kidney transplantation, which does not alter cyclosporine concentrations and does not deteriorate kidney function. Finally, penile prostheses can be successfully implanted following pelvic organ transplantation after eliminating the risk of infection associated with surgery.
PubMed: 32630390
DOI: 10.3390/jcm9061991 -
BMC Gastroenterology Jan 2024To comprehensively evaluate the efficacy, safety, patient symptoms, and quality-of-life (QoL) of lubiprostone, linaclotide, and elobixibat as treatment for chronic... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis
Comparative profiles of lubiprostone, linaclotide, and elobixibat for chronic constipation: a systematic literature review with meta-analysis and number needed to treat/harm.
OBJECTIVE
To comprehensively evaluate the efficacy, safety, patient symptoms, and quality-of-life (QoL) of lubiprostone, linaclotide, and elobixibat as treatment for chronic constipation (CC).
DESIGN
Systematic literature review (SLR) and meta-analysis (MA). Literature searches were conducted on PubMed and Embase using the Ovid platform.
METHODS
SLR including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies was conducted to identify the overall efficacy and safety of lubiprostone, linaclotide, and elobixibat. Thereafter, MA was performed using only RCTs. The number needed to treat (NNT) and number needed to harm (NNH) analyses were additionally conducted.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES
The primary outcome was efficacy regarding change in spontaneous bowel movements. Secondary outcomes included safety, constipation-related symptoms, and QoL.
RESULTS
Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria for the SLR: 17 RCTs, 4 observational studies, and 3 single-arm trials. Feasibility assessment for the MA resulted in 14 studies available for safety data analysis, and 8 available for efficacy analysis, respectively. Three drugs showed similar efficacy in the MA and NNT analysis. However, the NNH analysis revealed distinct safety profiles: lubiprostone, linaclotide, and elobixibat were linked to the highest risk of nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The current study provides an updated overview of the efficacy, safety, patient symptoms, and QoL of the three drugs with different mechanisms of action for CC treatment.The findings could help physicians adopt an individualized approach for treating patients with CC in clinical practice.
Topics: Humans; Constipation; Lubiprostone; Peptides; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38166671
DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-03104-8 -
Andrology Sep 2021Because it is a superficial structure, the penis is ideally suited to ultrasound imaging. A number of disease processes, including Peyronie's disease, penile fractures... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Because it is a superficial structure, the penis is ideally suited to ultrasound imaging. A number of disease processes, including Peyronie's disease, penile fractures and tumors, are clearly visualized with ultrasound. Baseline and dynamic assessment of cavernosal arterial changes after pharmaco-stimulation with alprostadil allows standardized diagnosis of arterial and venogenic causes of erectile dysfunction (ED).
OBJECTIVE
To illustrate how to correctly perform flaccid and dynamic penile duplex ultrasound (D-PDU) and in which patients to recommend it.
MATERIALS/METHODS
An extensive search of the literature was carried out on Pubmed with the insertion of the following Medical Subjects Headings (MeSH) terms and keywords "penile color Doppler ultrasound" "peak systolic velocity" "end-diastolic velocity", "acceleration time", "resistance index".
EVIDENCE
In our experience, arterial erectile dysfunction is identified after standardized intracavernous injection (ICI) of alprostadil (10 mcg) when values of peak systolic velocity (PSV) are <35 cm/s and, in the most severe forms, for values <25 cm/s. Arterial insufficiency can also be identified by increased acceleration time (AT) values (>110 ms) and/or by a lack of visualization of helicine arteries at power Doppler mode along with incomplete achievement of penile rigidity. The veno-occlusive incompetence is determined when end-diastolic velocity (EDV) values are >4.5-5 cm/s or in the case of resistance index (RI) values <0.75. The assessment of additional surrogate markers of endothelial dysfunction, that is, intima-media thickness, mean platelet volume (MPV), endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), endothelial cell specific molecule-1(endocan) are also useful in assessing the patient's cardiovascular risk but are still considered investigational in the interpretation of D-PDU results.
CONCLUSION
D-PDU scan after ICI with vasoactive drugs is a safe procedure and represents the gold standard for the diagnostics of penile pathologies and should be performed in men with ED not responding to oral conventional therapies and/or in those requiring accurate stratification of cardiovascular risk.
Topics: Alprostadil; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Erectile Dysfunction; Humans; Male; Penile Diseases; Penile Induration; Penis; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; Vasodilator Agents
PubMed: 33960127
DOI: 10.1111/andr.13029 -
Seminars in Perinatology Apr 2016Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is approved for use in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) but does not lead to sustained improvement in oxygenation in... (Review)
Review
Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is approved for use in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) but does not lead to sustained improvement in oxygenation in one-third of patients with PPHN. Inhaled NO is less effective in the management of PPHN secondary to congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), extreme prematurity, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Intravenous pulmonary vasodilators such as prostacyclin, alprostadil, sildenafil, and milrinone have been successfully used in PPHN resistant to iNO. Oral pulmonary vasodilators such as endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors such as sildenafil and tadalafil are used both during acute and chronic phases of PPHN. In the absence of infection, glucocorticoids may also be effective in PPHN. Many of these pharmacologic agents are not approved for use in PPHN and our knowledge is based on case reports and small trials. Large multicenter randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up are required to evaluate alternate pharmacologic strategies in PPHN.
Topics: Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia; Drug Administration Routes; Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital; Humans; Infant, Extremely Premature; Infant, Newborn; Nitric Oxide; Persistent Fetal Circulation Syndrome; Treatment Outcome; Vasodilator Agents
PubMed: 26778236
DOI: 10.1053/j.semperi.2015.12.004 -
Therapeutic Advances in Urology Aug 2016Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a very common disorder with a deep impact on quality of life on both patients and partners. Several options are available for treating ED:... (Review)
Review
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a very common disorder with a deep impact on quality of life on both patients and partners. Several options are available for treating ED: oral pharmacotherapy with phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors currently represents the first-line option for many patients with ED. Alprostadil, a prostaglandin, has been marketed for many years as a urethral stick and an intracavernous injection for the treatment of ED. It is now available in the form of a cream (Vitaros/Virirec), a noninvasive treatment which combines an active drug (alprostadil, a synthetic prostaglandin E1) with a skin enhancer improving its local absorption directly at the site of action. Alprostadil has a favourable pharmacodynamic profile and is poorly absorbed in systemic circulation, which makes it suitable in a lot of circumstances and results in a reduced risk of adverse effects (AEs). Systemic AEs are reported in only 3% of the treated population. Clinical efficacy has been demonstrated in both phase II and III trials, showing a global efficacy up to 83% with the 300 μg dose in patients with severe ED, significantly better than placebo. Its fast onset of action and lack of interactions with other drugs makes alprostadil cream a possible first-line therapeutic option for some patients with ED: individuals who are reluctant to take systemic treatments or have AEs, patients who do not respond, cannot tolerate, or do not accept PDE5 inhibitor therapy, and patients treated with nitrates. Therefore, this new treatment for ED can be offered to patients and could help address the needs unmet by other treatments.
PubMed: 27928427
DOI: 10.1177/1756287216644116