But what about those anxiety-related situations that most men can relate to? Job performance, concern over finances, problems with teenagers at home, relationship issues with a partner—the list goes on and on, changing each day. Problems stemming from daily life are universal.
Consider the example of a thirty-four-year-old patient of mine whose job as a Wall Street trader gives him more than his share of high anxiety. It so happened that Eric’s third wedding anniversary coincided with the day of a stock market freefall. That night he went home, trying to put the awful day behind him, anticipating a sexual celebration. Only, it didn’t happen. There was no way that he could circumvent his worry over the events of that afternoon and the result was a disappointing evening.
When he called me the next morning, I understood why his erectile failure had occurred; so did he. Then he wanted to know if he could have a prescription for the pills for those times when he might need them. He is healthy and doesn’t smoke. His drinking is limited to an occasional glass or two of wine and he exercises regularly. His ED is solely anxiety-related. Why shouldn’t a man with his profile, in a loving relationship, have the fallback support he may need? Isn’t his quality of life being compromised otherwise?
For Eric, and the millions of men like him who will—if they haven’t already—experience anxiety-related ED, the pills can relieve worry and offer substantial piece of mind. Isn’t that a valid function of medicine?
I do feel, however, that the decision to provide the medication to males who are already performing at the highest sexual levels, and who have never experienced any kind of ED, must be made on a case-by-case basis. Presently, there is a lack of scientific data to support any preventive use of the oral drug. Although controlled medical studies are being planned to measure the benefits of prophylactic use—some experts are predicting that, in the near future, the drug will be taken two or three times a week, even when a man is not engaging in sex, to ensure erectile health—we may not have definitive answers for several years.
Based on my own experiences and on the extensive reports of my fellow medical colleagues, I’m extremely pleased with the profile of the medication. With the information on hand, I can weigh the merits of the drug on a risk-to-benefit ratio on a patient-by-patient basis.
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