Chapter 1. Sexual Dysfunctions and Their Treatments

Short Description

The Mayo Clinic is dedicated to eradicating erectile dysfunction. This video explores the lives of five men who have participated in the clinicís drug therapy program. John is a 51-year-old athletics instructor who developed erectile dysfunction after he was diagnosed with diabetes. Over the past eight years, he has tried a variety of drugs with mixed success.

Long Description

The Mayo Clinic is dedicated to eradicating erectile dysfunction. This video explores the lives of five men who have participated in the clinicís drug therapy program. John is a 51-year-old athletics instructor who developed erectile dysfunction after he was diagnosed with diabetes. Over the past eight years, he has tried a variety of drugs with mixed success. The effectiveness of each pill is carefully recorded. Some of the most dramatic effects have come from the drug Cialis, which has been nicknamed the “weekender.” Tolman, a prostate cancer survivor, was one of the first patients to be treated with Viagra. The drug has now made medical, social, and marketing history. Viagra, explains one advertising executive, has become the equivalent of a generic and many view it as the cure to the problem of erectile dysfunction. Nonetheless, Viagra is not successful with all men. Approximately 25 million men could benefit from an alternative intervention. More than a dozen pharmaceutical companies are seeking to tap into the multi-billion dollar market. Four of the men, including 61-year-old Joseph who suffers from diabetes, have tried a new drug, Levitra. Similar to Viagra, Levitra is supported by an advertising campaign that features a younger man who “just needs a little help with his pain.” Focus is shifting from treating erectile dysfunction to enhancing erectile quality. That is, the drugs are being used in ways not originally intended. Men without a disorder are using them to improve their sexual experience. Research continues on new drug development, which includes drugs that may eventually replace pills. For example, 61-year-old Wes, a CPA and prostate cancer patient, is using a cream that is applied locally to improve sexual performance. Perhaps the most revolutionary new treatment is a nasal spray recently tested successfully by Kurt, a 45-year-old photographer. In contrast to the cream, this spray works on the brain structure that triggers erections.

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