My Penis Stuff

A number of medications are associated with erection problems (erectile dysfunction). Let your doctor know if you are taking any of these medications. If they are affecting your ability to have an erection, your doctor may be able to modify the amount you take or find an alternative.

Medications with a high incidence of causing erection problems include:

• Leuprolide acetate (Lupron), which is used to treat prostate cancer.
• Flutamide (Eulexin), which is used to treat prostate cancer.
• Clomipramine hydrochloride (Anafranil), which is used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Naltrexone hydrochloride (Trexan), which is used to treat alcohol dependence.

Other medications associated with erection problems

Other medications that may have an effect on erections include medications for:

• Hepatitis C or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), such as interferon alfa-2a or recombinant (Roferon-A).
• Parkinson’s disease, such as levodopa (Sinemet).
• Nausea and vomiting, such as prochlorperazine (Compazine) and promethazine (Phenergan, Promethegan).

Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) that the body needs for many important functions, such as producing new cells. High cholesterol increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

High cholesterol is caused by eating a diet that is too high in cholesterol and saturated fat or by having an inherited condition that causes elevated cholesterol levels.

Treatment includes eating a more healthful diet, increasing physical activity, and possibly taking cholesterol-lowering medicines.

A blood test can determine whether you have high cholesterol. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L).

• A total cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dL (5.17 mmol/L) is desirable.
• 200 to 239 (5.17 to 6.18) is considered borderline-high cholesterol.
• 240 (6.21) or higher is considered high cholesterol.

Hormonal factors may play a role in erection problems (erectile dysfunction). Men who produce low levels of the hormone testosterone (a condition known as hypogonadism) may have decreased sexual desire. A blood test is usually done if your doctor suspects this problem. However, few men with erection problems have low testosterone production.

Producing high levels of the hormone prolactin (hyperprolactemia) also may be a factor. High levels of prolactin interfere with testosterone production, resulting in a form of hypogonadism.

Medications are available to treat low testosterone production and excess prolactin production.

The prostate gland is a small walnut-shaped organ that lies just below a man’s bladder. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body through the penis.

The prostate gland produces most of the fluid in semen.

A vasectomy is surgery to make a man sterile (permanently unable to father a child). During a vasectomy, the tube that carries sperm from the testicles to the urethra (called the vas deferens) is cut and tied off, preventing sperm from being released during ejaculation.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system, making it difficult for the body to fight off infection and some diseases. HIV eventually causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

Initial HIV symptoms are similar to those of the flu and include fatigue, fever, weight loss, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin. Although there currently is no cure for HIV infection, a combination of medications called highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, helps prolong life in many people. A person with HIV infection may live for many years before developing any signs of AIDS.

Atherosclerosis, sometimes called “hardening of the arteries,” occurs when fat (cholesterol) and calcium build up in the inner lining of the arteries, forming a substance called plaque. Over time, the fat and calcium buildup narrows the artery and blocks blood flow through it.

• When atherosclerosis affects the arteries that supply blood to the heart, it can restrict blood flow to the heart muscle, causing heart pain (angina), irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia), and other problems. Plaque may damage the artery lining, causing blood clots that can block blood flow, which in turn may cause a heart attack and cause damage to the heart muscle. Atherosclerosis in the heart (coronary) arteries is called coronary artery disease.
• When atherosclerosis affects the arteries that supply blood to the brain, it may cause a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.
• Atherosclerosis can affect arteries in other parts of the body, such as the pelvis and legs, causing poor circulation, slower healing of skin injuries, and erection problems.

A major part of treating atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease involves lifestyle changes (such as quitting smoking) and medications to help reduce high cholesterol, control high blood pressure, and manage other factors that increase a person’s risk of heart attack, stroke, and other complications.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is sometimes called “good” cholesterol because it helps prevent cholesterol from building up in the arteries. HDL, which is made mostly of protein and only a small amount of fat, helps clear LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or “bad,” cholesterol from the body.

High levels of HDL appear to help protect against heart disease. A person who is at risk for heart disease may be advised to raise his or her HDL levels by eating a balanced diet, exercising and losing weight, and stopping tobacco use. In addition, medicines may be used to raise HDL levels.

Because an erection is caused by the penis filling with blood, problems with the blood vessels may result in erection problems (erectile dysfunction). These problems include:

• Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the penile arteries, which may block blood flow into the penis or into the arteries that fill the penile arteries.
• Side effects of medications that affect the blood vessels (such as some diuretics or other high blood pressure medications), which may interfere with the filling process.
• Leaking of blood from the spongy chambers (corpora cavernosa) in the penis to the veins that carry blood from the penis. This may lead to the inability to maintain an erection.

A stroke is a sudden disruption in blood flow to the brain caused by a blockage or bleeding of a blood vessel. Areas of the brain that are affected by the blockage or bleeding can become damaged within minutes.

The effects of a stroke may be mild or severe and temporary or permanent, depending on which brain cells are damaged, how much of the brain is involved, and how quickly the blood supply is restored to the area.

Symptoms of a stroke are usually sudden and may include:

• Numbness, weakness, or lack of movement (paralysis) in the face, an arm, or a leg, especially on only one side of the body.
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Confusion and difficulty speaking.
• Dizziness and a loss of balance or coordination.
• Vomiting.
• A sudden, severe headache.

A person with stroke symptoms needs immediate medical attention to help limit potential damage.