[Incorporating a sexual questionnaire in screening examinations]

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to attain and/ or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. The prevalence of ED among elderly men is 52%, and it is associated with preventable and treatable cardiovascular conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and smoking. Treating these conditions may prevent cardiovascular diseases and ED. Nevertheless, large-scale studies regarding the prevalence of ED among young men has never been conducted, although prevention should be performed in younger ages. A unique screening examination, including a sexual questionnaire has been conducted in Israel since 2001. Men who are suspected of ED, according to this questionnaire, are referred to a sexual clinic for consultation and treatment. In this review, we present several studies based on this database. Our main findings: ED is prevalent in young men and is associated with diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia, sleeping disorders and periodontal diseases. These findings stress the importance of incorporating a sexual questionnaire in screening examinations.