Population-based study of erectile dysfunction and polypharmacy

OBJECTIVE To study the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and polypharmacy use in a large, ethnically and racially diverse cohort of men enrolled in the California Men's Health Study (CMHS). PATIENTS AND METHODS Men from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) health plan, enrolled in the CMHS in 2002, had an age range of 45-69 years. ED and comorbidities of these subjects were identified by questionnaire responses. The number of drugs taken was determined from the year before enrollment through electronic pharmacy records and questionnaire responses. RESULTS Among the 37 712 (KPSC) subjects, 10 717 (29%) reported moderate or severe ED. Across all age groups, ED was more prevalent as the number of medications increased. In men taking 0 -2, 3-5,6-9 and >= 10 medications, the percentage of men reporting moderate ED was 15.9, 19.7, 25.5 and 30.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). With adjustment for age, race, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease and body mass index, men taking >10 drugs were more likely to have ED (odds ratio = 2.32, 95% confidence interval 2.14-2.52) with evidence of a dose-response relationship. CONCLUSION These data suggest that the number of medications a man takes is associated with worse ED, even after comorbidities have been taken into account.