The incidence of pharmacologically induced priapism in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of 685 men with erectile dysfunction

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of pharmacologically induced priapism in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of erectile dysfunction. Patie nts and Methods: Over a period of 7 years, 685 men were investigated for er ectile failure. They underwent a simple test with vase-active drugs, and th e nonresponders were further investigated. Eventually, 83 men began autoinj ections and 45 still continue. Results: Eight (1.2%) cases of priapism pres ented during the simple test with vase-active drugs in these patients, whil e none occurred during self-injection treatment. Three were prolonged erect ions induced by prostaglandin E-1 (PGE(1)) and 5 by papaverine (Pap). Six w ere treated safely with intracavernosal injection of etilephrine without: b lood aspiration. Conclusion: Priapism is always a potential phenomenon wher e no individual, no particular drug and no specific dose are completely saf e, It may be caused even with 5 mug of PGE(1) or 7.5 mg of Pap. Auto-inject ion therapy however is a safe kind of treatment in well-experienced patient s. Careful regulation of the doses and practice in the use of vase-active d rugs may reduce the priapism rate. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.