Viagra Question
What is the incidence of erectile dysfunction among American men? And would Viagra help all of them to regain at least temporary erectile function?
Answer
According to MenMD.com, erectile dysfunction affects roughly 30 million American men and more than 100 million men worldwide. In the United States, this means that roughly 18 percent of all men suffer from some degree of ED. While the percentage of men affected by ED increases with age, impotence is by no means an inevitable consequence of aging. The increased incidence of the disorder in older men can be explained by the greater exposure to behaviors and medical conditions that can cause ED.
For example, years of eating an unhealthy diet, high in saturated fats and empty calories, eventually may lead to atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque on the inner walls of arteries. And atherosclerosis can impede blood flow to the penis, causing erection problems.
Likewise, men who have smoked for years can sustain damage to blood vessels, which can also lead to ED. The vast majority of ED among American men is caused by insufficient blood flow to the penis, a form of impotence that Viagra is designed to treat. However, for those suffering from ED caused by psychological issues or traumatic or congenital damage to the pelvic regions, particularly the blood vessels in that area, surgical intervention may be required to restore normal blood flow.