Males with erectile dysfunction (ED) — at least those who actually seek treatment — "look macho and are dressed up appropriately, hindi casual lang. Businessman-like. They look decent and do not seem to have an aggressive personality," said Dr. Lester Garcia, president of the Philippine Urological Association.
ED, he said, could affect 35 percent of eight million Filipino males aged 40 and above.
Erectile dysfunction is the consistent inability of males to attain and maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse, said Dr. Josefino Alvero, medical director of the multinational drug firm Eli Lilly which manufactures a new oral anti-erectile dysfunction drug Cialis.
While 80 percent of erectile dysfunction cases worldwide are associated with physiological conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, drug use and other factors, he said the remaining 20 percent are caused by psychological factors, such as anxiety and depression.
Males with erectile dysfunction can either seek proper medical treatment or sacrifice a good relationship with their partner, Alvero said.
"Men must understand that given the proper treatment, there is an answer to erectile dysfunction," Alvero said.
He added that most Filipino males with this condition, especially the poor and less educated, are not inclined to consult doctors because of the stigma associated with erectile dysfunction.
"Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a condition only waiting to be resolved. Those with ED should overcome the stigma to bring back intimacy to love," Alvero said.
Based on a study published in the British Journal of Urology, erectile dysfunction affects 152 million men worldwide.
Ninety million of them are from Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The US accounts for one-third of these 90 million erectile dysfunction cases.