Erectile Dysfunction, commonly referred as ‘impotence’, is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for healthy coitus. The word ‘impotence’ may also be used to describe other reproductive problems that interfere with coitus and reproduction, such as lack of libido and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. The term ‘erectile dysfunction’ specifies that other problems are not involved.
Damage to nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and fibrous tissues, often as a result of a disease, is the most common cause of erectile penile dysfunction. Diseases such as diabetes, kidney diseases, chronic alcohol consumption, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular diseases, and neurological diseases, account for about 70 percent of erectile dysfunction cases. Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic syndromes of the developed societies and spreading in developing societies. Thirty to 50 percent of men with diabetes experience erectile dysfunction.