Open Access

ARTICLE

Erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism (low testosterone)

Jack Barkin

Humber River Regional Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address correspondence to Dr. Jack Barkin, Chief of Staff, Humber River Regional Hospital, 960 Lawrence Avenue West, Suite 404, Toronto, Ontario M6A 3B5 Canada

Canadian Journal of Urology 2011, 18(Suppl.2), 2-7.

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the earliest signs and markers of present or potential future endothelial dysfunction. One of the causes of ED can be low testosterone levels or hypogonadism. This article describes ways to identify and diagnose patients with ED or hypogonadism, and it offers a plan for treatment of these conditions. The mainstay first-line medical therapies for ED are phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors. For patients with symptomatic hypogonadism, testosterone replacement therapy is both safe and effective.

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