The erectile dysfunction as a cardiovascular risk factor

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED), defined as the inability of the subject of the male gender to achieve and/or maintain an erection sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse, is a source of great discomfort for patients in everyday life. This condition has a high prevalence in the general population, although frequently underestimated in clinical practice. The purpose of this article is to review the epidemiology, the pathophysiology and the clinical features of this disease, emphasizing the importance of erectile dysfunction as an indicator of silent atherosclerotic disease.