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Pharmacological treatment and inappropriate prescriptions for patients with erectile dysfunction

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Abstract

Background Erectile dysfunction is associated with old age, some morbidities and the use of certain medications. Objective To identify the treatments and drugs related to worsening sexual activity in patients with erectile dysfunction. Setting Patients diagnosed with erectile dysfunction during 2018. Methods This cross-sectional study of a population database identified all drug prescriptions of patients with erectile dysfunction during 2018. Main outcome measure The identification of other comorbidities and potentially inappropriate drugs that could worsen erectile dysfunction. Results A total of 2999 patients with erectile dysfunction (mean age 59.6 ± 12.1 years) were identified. A total of 88.2% received pharmacological treatment for erectile dysfunction, mainly tadalafil (70.5%). A total of 47.6% of all patients received at least one medication associated with worsening erectile dysfunction, especially hydrochlorothiazide (17.0%), metoprolol (7.9%) and sertraline (6.7%). Residing in Cali (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.52–22.27) or Bucaramanga (OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.39–33.58), having 3 or more chronic comorbidities (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.04–2.24) and presenting psychiatric (OR 5.5; 95% CI 3.70–8.17), cardiovascular (OR 3.48; 95% CI 2.79–4.33), genitourinary (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.05–1.64) pathologies or chronic kidney failure (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.18–2.21) elevated the probability of receiving these prescriptions. Conclusions The pharmacological treatment of erectile dysfunction was in accordance with the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines, but the high proportion of potentially inappropriate prescriptions makes it necessary to promote educational and pharmacovigilance strategies that improve the prescription habits of physicians involved in caring for this group of patients.

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Acknowledgements

Soffy Claritza López for her work in creating the database and Daniel Loaiza for his collaboration in the literature search.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira-Audifarma S. A, Calle 105 No. 14-140, Pereira, Risaralda, 660003, Colombia

    Luis Fernando Valladales-Restrepo & Jorge Enrique Machado-Alba

  2. Grupo Biomedicina, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia

    Luis Fernando Valladales-Restrepo

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  1. Luis Fernando Valladales-Restrepo
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Correspondence to Jorge Enrique Machado-Alba.

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Valladales-Restrepo, L.F., Machado-Alba, J.E. Pharmacological treatment and inappropriate prescriptions for patients with erectile dysfunction. Int J Clin Pharm 43, 900–908 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-020-01194-y

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